Florent Vergier-Feltz, 21 years old, a student at the Faculty of Law at the University of Nice and president of the Young Democrats of Alpes-Maritimes:
“[The current protest movements of high school and university students against the pension reform are indicative of a deep unease among the youth of our country, who are increasingly worried about their future.
However, we cannot accept the radicalization of these protests. Blockades and outbreaks of violence during demonstrations do not represent solutions at all.
It is important to tell the truth to the youth: extending the contribution period is essential to ensure the sustainability of pension funding. We cannot allow the public debt to endlessly increase and ultimately threaten the very existence of a public pension system.
All political leaders who claim otherwise, by defending the maintenance of the retirement age at 60, are lying to the French.
However, the ongoing reform cannot be accepted as is, firstly because it is profoundly unjust and secondly because it does not ensure financial balance. Hence the need to demand the organization of a debate with all social partners, in a calm atmosphere, to outline a new reform.
The Young Democrats of Alpes-Maritimes encourage the youth of our country not to allow themselves to be manipulated, to adopt a constructive and responsible attitude in order to be credible in the eyes of public opinion and to be a force for proposals for the FUTURE!”
