Politics · France · 3 hrs ago
Bardella’s retirement plan could add €14.3 billion in annual pension costs
Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s National Rally, says his party will propose retirement at 62 after 42 years of contributions, reversing the 2023 rules of 64 and 43 years.
He also wants a voluntary sovereign fund where people could invest savings to build an extra retirement income.
Bardella says people would not have to pay higher contributions, but details such as possible tax incentives and guarantees remain unclear.
The fund would build individual savings for the future, not pay current pensions in France’s pay-as-you-go system.
The Court of Accounts estimated that lowering the retirement age to 62 would add €10.4 billion a year to the pension system’s costs by 2035, while reducing the contribution period to 42 years would add €3.9 billion.
Together, those changes imply €14.3 billion more in annual costs for the pension system.
The effect on public finances could be greater because earlier retirement would also mean fewer workers paying contributions and taxes; the party’s proposed reform is due next Tuesday.
Jordan Bardella’s proposed return to retirement at 62, with 42 years of contributions, could add an estimated €14.3 billion a year to pension-system costs.
The estimate combines €10.4 billion for lowering the retirement age from 64 to 62 and €3.9 billion for reducing the contribution period from 43 to 42 years.
Bardella also proposes a voluntary fund to let people invest savings for retirement, and says he does not want people to contribute more.
The fund would provide individual savings and would not finance current pensions, according to BFM Business.
Bardella says the changes are intended to repair what he calls an unsustainable French pension system.
- Who
- Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN), announced the proposal.
- What
- He proposes restoring retirement at 62 after 42 years of contributions, alongside a voluntary investment fund.
- When
- He announced the plan on Tuesday; the article was published on 10 November 2026.
- Where
- He made the announcement on BFMTV.
- Why
- Bardella says he wants to repair the French pension system, which he describes as unsustainable.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Court of Accounts estimated that lowering the retirement age from 64 to 63 would worsen the pension system’s balance by €5.8 billion a year by 2035.
Pierre Moscovici presented an estimate of €10.4 billion in additional annual costs in 2035 for lowering the retirement age to 62.
Bardella restated his plan on BFMTV, including retirement at 62 and a voluntary investment fund.
The National Rally was due to present a reform proposal, according to Bardella.
- Retirement age
- Proposed return to 62
- Contribution period
- 42 years, down from 43
- Estimated cost of age change
- €10.4 billion a year in 2035
- Estimated cost of shorter contribution period
- €3.9 billion a year
- Combined estimated pension-system cost
- €14.3 billion a year
What people are saying
repair the French pension system
not sustainable
become shareholders in the French economy, become investors