Why the removal of a bank holiday in France is under debate - and which

People in France may soon have to work one extra day in the year – without being paid for it – as the idea of removing a public holiday from the calendar gains ground among politicians. 

Right-wing senators are the biggest proponents, and are set to introduce a bill in the coming weeks on the measure, as debates on the 2025 social security budget begin tomorrow (November 13).

They claim that implementing a second ‘journée de solidarité’ – where people work but are not paid, with their employers instead paying their salary into a special social security fund – will help to close the debt on France’s social security budget, currently set to reach €16 billion next year.

Other politicians, including former Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, back the idea, as do members of the current government.

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A report by a cross-party committee in September also recommended the change. 

However, left-wing politicians are opposed, saying the change would see workers contributing via their salaries, but not see shareholders profits impacted. 

A recent poll conducted for French media outlet BFMTV showed that nearly 70% of workers in France are against implementing such a rule. 

What would the change achieve? 

The current journée de solidarité technically falls on Pentecost (Whit Monday), however since 2008 rules have changed, allowing more flexibility in how the funds are paid.

Companies arrange the day differently – some people work the day for no pay as intended, others work longer throughout the year to make up for it, and others take the day as a paid holiday and see their salary slightly reduced.

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It raises around €2.4 billion for the social security budget via the contribution de solidarité pour l'autonomie (CSA) fund. 

Private and public sector employees pay 0.3% of their salary towards the fund, regardless of how this amount is calculated and taken by their employer.

Since 2013, this 0.3% reduction has also been applied to disability and pension benefits, adding another €0.9 billion.

Instituting a second day, i.e raising contributions to 0.6% would raise another €2.4 billion – €3.3 billion for the social security budget annually.

These additional contributions could go directly towards funding care and elderly homes, senators have said, freeing up the current budgetary spend on this for other areas.

Which holiday will be affected?

Senators do not have a particular idea of a specific public holiday that would be axed from the calendar as part of the bill, with co-writer Chantal Deseyne (Les Républicains) saying it could be November 11, May 8, or the Ascension holiday.

It could take the form of a the current journée de solidarité, with employers and employees deciding on how best to implement the measure.

However, others have pinpointed November 11 as a specific public holiday to be removed.

“There are a thousand ways to commemorate without not working. Or else it means that we have 65 million French people standing at the foot of the war memorials on November 11th,” said Jean-François Copé, right-wing mayor of Meaux. 

Despite this, the president of Souvenir français association for French soldiers and civilians said that November 11th was “untouchable,” on the list of public holidays. 

November 11 is “a public holiday to which we are attached,” said prime minister Michel Barnier yesterday, in a speech at the Grande Guerre de Meaux monument. 

The arrival of the bill for debate in the Senate will provide further details on how the journée de solidarité is to be calculated.

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