Early 2023 saw a wave of strikes and demonstrations against a new French pensions reform. Media headlines showed “rubbish pile–up Paris” (bin workers on strike) and a public-transport system partly paralysed. In truth, strikes are a normal feature of French life: pensions today, wage disputes tomorrow… Better get used to it.
Yet analysing this particular social movement helps us understand the French “strike philosophy” – and, by extension, invites us to rethink our own retirement planning.
Contents
- The historical relationship between the French and strikes
- Can one universal pension system suit everyone?
- Ageing demographics and pension funding
- “Start early, retire early” and the fairness debate
- Life as a whole: from first job to retirement
1 | The historical relationship between the French and strikes
Ask a French person and they will say: “Striking matters – but we didn’t invent it!” Indeed, labour stoppages date back to Ancient Egypt and Greece. In France, a turning point came in the Middle Ages when Latin-Quarter students shut down classes for two years to protest military repression; the Pope eventually intervened and granted the University of Paris the right to strike. Later the French Revolution produced chaos; strikes were declared illegal, and only in the 20th century were they fully protected by law.
This long struggle – and strong trade unions – explain why modern French workers readily walk out not just over employer-employee issues but over any unpopular socio-economic reform. Strikes cost the country dearly, yet public opinion often supports them.
2 | Can one universal pension scheme suit everyone?
At the core of President Macron’s project is the idea of merging multiple occupational schemes into a single system. France currently runs a mosaic of plans (private-sector, civil-service, “arduous jobs”…). The reform triggered anger from groups who feel their specific hardship is overlooked – think nurses, waste collectors, transport staff.
Behind the debate lies a fundamental question: how to finance pensions in an ageing society? And for each of us: how to plan an entire career and post-career life so that wellbeing and security remain intact?
3 | Ageing demographics and pension funding
Today France’s legal retirement age is 62 – relatively young for Europe. The pay-as-you-go system means current workers fund current retirees. Fifty years ago there were four contributors for every pensioner; the ratio is heading towards one-to-one.
4 | “Start early, retire early” – the fairness issue
The reform raises the legal age to 64 by 2030 and introduces a rule: the earlier you started work, the earlier you may leave. Example: a start before 18 years old allows retirement at 60; before 20, at 62. A full pension now requires 43 years of contributions. People may still retire earlier, but with a reduced pension, and no one can be forced to work beyond 67.
Critics note paradoxes: a graduate who begins at 30 may never reach 43 years but will still get a full pension at 67; meanwhile a manual worker who started at 17 accumulates 43 years yet receives less. Career breaks for maternity further disadvantage women. Add concerns about health in one’s late sixties and fears that prolonged senior employment blocks younger entrants.
5 | Life as a whole: from first job to retirement
The real issue extends beyond “age” or “amount”. It’s about designing an entire professional and personal trajectory. In my coaching practice I see four phases:
- 20-30 yrs – exploration and skill building.
- 30-40 yrs – rapid progression; coaching to secure the next level.
- 40-50 yrs – peak expertise; widening influence or contribution.
- 50-60 yrs – consolidation; preparing a “second life”.
Even seasoned leaders face doubts about identity, purpose and health after work. Retirement planning equals life planning: how will you allocate time, energy and resources across the decades?
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