The retirement age is France’s main anomaly

France’s low retirement age and low employment rate among 60-64 year olds explain many of the differences between France on the one hand and Germany or the other euro-zone countries on the other. France’s low retirement age leads to: A high weight of public pension spending and overall public spending, and therefore a structural imbalance in the country’s public finances; A high weight of corporate social contributions and therefore high labour costs; A low overall employment rate and therefore low potential production and incomes; Low per capita income despite the high level of per capita productivity. When the collective choice of a low retirement age is made in France, it is important that there is an awareness of the series of consequences that this choice entails .