• "The biggest crash", "a shipwreck". Words are not lacking to the elected representatives of the opposition to describe the passage of Olivier Véran - spokesman of the government - at the microphone of the Political Emission of France Inter, this Sunday.
  • And it's not the only one. Since January, ministers have been attacking the platforms to defend the pension reform and show its benefits, waving the minimum pension of 1,200 euros.
  • Except that politicians have not always been right in their ads and journalists in front of them sometimes have to "fact check" them live.

Since the beginning of the week, the hashtags "liar" and "lies" alternate at the top of the trends on Twitter. Most publications display the passage of government spokesman Olivier Véran on the issue of the revaluation of retirement pensions. The excerpt is a passage from the program "Political Questions" on France Inter, this Sunday, where the minister returned to the issue of minimum retirement by messing up on elements already announced by the government. "The biggest crash in history," mocks netizens.



Criticism shared by deputies in the National Assembly on Monday, where opposition lawmakers castigated "the lies of the government". "The pension at 1,200 euros, today we do not know what it is (...). We learn that the number of French concerned is becoming ridiculous, "criticized the deputy RN Jean-Philippe Tanguy. "You lied to the French," condemned the rebellious Clémente Autain.

While Olivier Véran invited Thomas Snégaroff to "check the archives" this Sunday, a chronology work is necessary to better understand the issue of minimum retirement. 20 Minutes went back in time.

A timeline through fact checking

  • January 11, 2023: Véran ignites

On January 11, Olivier Véran was the guest of the 8:30 am on France Info. Faced with Salhia Brakhlia and Marc Fauvelle, the government spokesman announced that the minimum pension would be "increased by 100 euros per month". "Two million current retirees, who have a pension of less than 1,200 euros, will see their pension increased to 1,200 euros gross per month," adds the politician.

  • January 28, 2023: Schiappa board

Back on the set of France Info, but with a different protagonist. On 28th January Marlène Schiappa also defended the pension reform and the minimum pension at 1,200 euros. A measure that would, according to her, benefit women. "Today, indeed, there are very significant inequalities in retirement between women and men. That's also why we put a floor at 1,200 euros."

  • February 2 and 6, 2023: The Mayor persists

Invited on the set of LCI, on February 2, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire added: "Regarding the retirement pension at 1,200 euros gross, it is open to anyone who has contributed all of his quarters and who has been paid at the level of the Smic," explains Bruno Le Maire. He added: "Today, 800,000 people are retiring. 200,000 people will be able to use this device. Not everyone will necessarily be at 1,200 euros gross because not everyone will necessarily have contributed all of his quarters", finally explaining that the reform is an "improvement".

During the Grand entretien of 8:20 am on France Inter, four days later, the Minister of the Economy repiles. "They [the LR deputies] said that 65 was too much, we retained their proposal to go to 64. They said that the minimum pension of 1,200 euros, it would be better to do it also for those who are already retired, we have done it."

  • February 9, 2023: Riester gets tangled

On the set of BFMTV, this time, the Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament Franck Riester answered Aurélie Casse's question: "Why not just say that we were going to revalue some small pensions? Why did you give this mirage of a pension at 1,200 euros?" "That's fake news. We never said we were going to give 1,200 euros to everyone. We have always said that there would be 1.8 million retirees who would have their pensions upgraded, "says the minister. "Even that's wrong," adds the journalist, recalling that full part-time careers were not concerned.

  • February 12, 2023: Véran reframes his shot

A month after his first intervention, Olivier Véran backpedals on the set of the show Questions politiques of France Inter, Sunday, February 12. "Someone who has contributed a full career to the SMIC will be able to receive a minimum revalued pension of 1,200 euros. [...] 1.8 million retirees will have an increase in their minimum pension that takes into account the number of years worked and salary. »

The importance of verifying information... Thomas Snégaroff bounces back to this announcement: "The magic figure of 1,200 euros is missing". Olivier Véran: "The figure of 1,200 euros is a complete career at the SMIC. [...] When you do not have a full career at the SMIC, you can have a revaluation ".

Who is really concerned?

Since the beginning of the reform, the government has promised this famous minimum of 1,200 euros per month of pension after a full career at the Smic. But never advances on the number of people concerned [except for Olivier Véran in January]. Over the sets, everyone seems to get lost among the announcements, despite the number of reminders of journalists who must assume live the role of "fact checker".

So what is it really? To receive these 1,200 euros - which also correspond to 85% of the net Smic - it will therefore be necessary to validate all these quarters with a remuneration at the Smic. Part-time careers will have a salary, but which "will not necessarily arrive at 1,200 euros, even with a full career", finally corrected Olivier Dussopt. The increase could therefore be between 25 and 100 euros per month depending on the profiles, according to the minister.

"250,000 additional pensioners"

On France Inter, this Wednesday, the Minister of Labour has advanced new figures: 1.8 million current retirees "will see their pension revalued". "This means that we have a total of 250,000 additional pensioners in our country who will cross the 85% threshold of the minimum wage among current pensioners," he continued.

For future retirees now, the minister explains that of the 800,000 new retirees, a quarter will have a revalued pension. "When I am told how much thanks to this reform will pass the threshold of 85% of the Smic? We have a forecast, it happened to me last night: 40,000 more people each year, "adds Olivier Dussopt. Those below this cap would be employees with incomplete careers.

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Pension reform: "There is nothing to gain... » The "minimum service" of the majority to defend the text

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Pension reform: Article 2 rejected, improvisation and obstruction... Summary of the day at the Assembly

  • Economy
  • Fake Off
  • Pension reform 2023
  • Olivier Véran
  • Olivier Dussopt
  • Bruno Le Maire
  • Marlène Schiappa
  • Franck Riester
  • National Assembly