STUMP » Articles » STUMP Podcast: Choices Have Consequences: Retirement Policy » 17 April 2023, 18:30

In this episode, I’m talking about the upcoming theme for posts this week: CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES…. for retirement policy. The big choices: retirement age, the shape of benefits (COLAs, taxable?, etc), and more… but there was a choice made before all these that influenced how all of these will turn out: total fertility rate.

Episode Links

STUMP, April 14: The French Continue to Protest Over Retirement Age Changes

I have a Google news alert on “retirement age” that emails me weekly, and every week this year it’s been full of headlines about French protests over raising the retirement age to the ancient limit of 64 years old. Zutalors!

AP, April 14: France’s Constitutional Council approves higher pension age

France’s Constitutional Council on Friday approved an unpopular plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, in a victory for President Emmanuel Macron after three months of mass protests over the legislation that have damaged his leadership.

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The council rejected some other measures in the pension bill, but the higher age was central to Macron’s plan and the target of protesters’ anger.

Macron can enact the bill within 15 days.

In a separate but related decision, the council rejected a request by left-wing lawmakers to allow for a possible referendum on enshrining 62 as the maximum official retirement age. The council will rule on a similar request next month.

Fertility Rate

Our World in Data: Total Fertility Rate

More on fertility rate

Robot cats

JOY FOR ALL – Silver Cat with White Mitts – Interactive Companion Pets – Realistic & Lifelike

Yeah, I still consider them creepy.