In April 2010, Éric Woerth, French Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Civil Service for the government led by François Fillon, drafted a bill which was aimed at reforming the pension system and notably included a provision on increasing the legal retirement age from 60 to 62. Industrial action opposing this reform was instigated by employee unions in May 2010. Several days of strikes and protests ensued, which escalated the dispute until November 2010, a month after the reform was adopted by parliament.
In 2010, the Fondation pour l’innovation politique organised two successive surveys aimed at monitoring developments in public opinion on this major welfare issue.
- The opinion of French people on the draft pension reform (May-June 2010)
The Fondation pour l’innovation politique devised an initial poll assessing perceptions of the pension system and the planned reforms.
| Polling organisation | TNS-Sofres |
| Sample size | 960 |
| Age of interviewees |
18 and above |
| Fieldwork dates | 31 May to 1 June 2010 |
| Method of administration | Telephone |
| Number of questions: | 6 |
| Countries | France |
| Language used in the survey | French |
| Results available in | French |
- The opinion of French people after the pension reform was adopted by parliament (November 2010)
In a second poll, the Fondation pour l’innovation politique sought French people’s opinions of the reform adopted on 22 October 2010 and the industrial action it prompted.
| Polling organisation | Ifop |
| Sample size | 1,007 |
| Age of interviewees |
18 and above |
| Fieldwork dates | 2 and 4 November 2010 |
| Method of administration | |
| Number of questions: | 17 |
| Countries | France |
| Language used in the survey | French |
| Results available in | French |
Photo credit : Jyc1