Prime Minister Jean Castex says he wishes to conclude the Ségur de la Santé " next week " and settle " in the short term " the pension issue, in an interview published Sunday in the JDD where he warns not to believe " soft consensus ".
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“ Key decisions are on the table. Employment, of course, which in the current context requires the mobilization of all within the framework of the new social order launched by the President of the Republic. Support for caregivers and the transformation of our health system as part of the Ségur that I will conclude next week , ”he said. In the absence of an agreement with the unions before an imminent reshuffle, the government of his predecessor Edouard Philippe decided on Thursday to extend the “ Ségur de la santé ” by a few days , while an envelope of seven billion euros is now on the table for caregiver salaries.
Pension plan deficit
“ The recovery plan must be finalized. Add to that the reforms that were in the pipes on pensions and unemployment insurance. And that of dependence which must come next and corresponds to a necessity. All these subjects are directly impacted by the crisis, which requires taking them up in a concerted framework and with overall coherence , ”he added.
Asked about union concerns about pensions, he said that "to say that we are going to reexamine a subject is not to deny ourselves." It is to show our capacity to adapt to new circumstances, which are painful ”. “ For example, the crisis has greatly worsened the deficit in our pension plans. I wish to resume dialogue with the social partners, it is essential. Will we be able to resolve these issues in the short term? This is my wish, ”he said.
" At a minimum, we will have to set a new social agenda, " he continued, saying he hoped for a " compromise, which is not a compromise " to save social protection systems. Asked about his method, he defined it as " a mixture of voluntarism and experience, with the concern of bringing together ". " But beware, I don't believe in soft consensus. Now is the time for action, ”he warned.