Emmanuel Macron argues that the pension reform “was necessary” to avoid the accumulation of deficits and proposes a new “social pact” to improve the conditions of workers. This was stated by the French president in a televised speech this Monday, in the midst of a political crisis over the approval of the controversial reformwhich raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.

Macron has insisted that the changes approved by his government were the only possible response to the progressive increase in the number of retirees and life expectancy. “Has this law been accepted? Obviously not”has recognized, after weeks of intense social rejection in the streets. “Despite months of consultation, a consensus could not be found and I regret it,” she added, also admitting that there is “anger” in a context of jobs that do not allow us to cope with the rising costs of living.

“Some have the impression of doing their part and not being rewarded,” said the French president, who pointed out that this “demand for social justice and renewal of democratic life” must be listened to. “The answer”, he pointed out, “cannot lie in immobility or in extremism”, and proposes a new “social pact” with employers and unions to discuss “without limits or taboos” “essential” issues such as wages, the improvement of working conditions and the distribution of wealth.

“The door will always be open,” said the head of state, despite the fact that in the last three months the Élysée has refused to hold the meeting that the unions had requestedwho flatly rejected the delay in the minimum retirement age and the castling of the Executive with respect to this measure, the central axis of the reform.

In his long-awaited speech, which lasted barely 13 minutes and was his first message to the nation since the beginning of the crisis For the reform in January, Macron has also made a plea in favor of the conquest of a French “independence”, which guarantees the future of the country regardless of external forces. These objectives will only be achieved, he has said, through work and reindustrialization, which will also make it possible to create better-paid jobs.

Seeking to leave the pension crisis behind, the French president has announced large areas of work for his government, beginning with a battery of ecological planning actions before the summer to face the climatic challenges. Macron has also mentioned the need to work on justice and democracy, with measures to improve the courts, fight crime and illegal immigration.

Likewise, he has indicated that the growing social dissociation of politics and institutions must be alleviated through efficiency and citizen participation and has promised initiatives to ensure that everyone “has the certainty that our children will live better”, with emphasis in health and education.

While Macron’s intervention was taking place, there were hundreds of casseroles called all over France in protest against pension reform. The first reactions of the unions have not been long in coming and, in statements to the ‘BFM’ chain, the union leader Laurent Berger, of the majority CFDT, has asserted that what Macron regrets now “is not going to change anything”.