Will the French social model be able to cope with an ageing population?

If the generosity of the pension system and the health insurance system remains constant, population ageing will lead to very substantial growth in pension and health spending. The other major items of public spending (education, security and justice, defence, interest on the public debt) cannot be reduced - on the contrary. The question is therefore bound to arise as to the sustainability of the French social security system, and the switch to a partly funded pension system and a public health system that only covers serious illnesses.