French PM vows to suspend Macron’s pension reform to avoid government collapse

French Prime minister Sebastien Lecornu will propose the suspension of a contested plan raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, in a move to avoid his fragile minority government being immediately toppled.

Lecornu said on Tuesday in a speech at the National Assembly that the law, a flagship policy of French President Emmanuel Macron, would be put on pause until after the next presidential election, to be held in 2027.

The Socialist Party, which is not part of the government, had demanded that the law be repealed.

Lecornu faces two no-confidence motions from the hard-left France Unbowed and far-right National Rally parties. The two parties do not hold enough seats to topple Lecornu’s government on their own, but the prime minister could quickly be undone if the Socialist Party joins forces with them.

Lecornu earlier met with his cabinet to discuss proposals for the 2026 budget, which needs to be approved by the end of the year.

With his government hanging by a thread, France’s newly reappointed prime minister must make concessions to his political opponents to avoid a no-confidence vote later this week, as the country struggles to end a lingering political crisis.