The reform of the RSA raises concerns and skepticism

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presents the government’s roadmap for the next three months at the Elysée Palace on April 26, 2023. CYRIL BITTON / DIVERGENCE FOR “THE WORLD”

A reform of unemployment insurance in the fall of 2022. A winter punctuated by parades against that of pensions. This spring, the government is looking into another reform, that of the active solidarity income (RSA). Emmanuel Macron’s campaign promise, the project was confirmed by the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, on Wednesday April 26, during the presentation of his roadmap for the “one hundred days of peace” wanted by the Head of State after the social eruption of recent months. Not sure, however, that the “full employment” bill, which must be presented by the executive in early June, and which will bring about the transformation of Pôle emploi into France Travail and, therefore, the reform of the RSA, brings peace of mind wanted.

If the precise contours of the text are not yet known, the France Work report submitted by the High Commissioner for Employment, Thibaut Guilluy, to the Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, on April 19, gives serious indications on its content. The government wants France Travail to be the “gateway for all job seekers”, and in particular the 2 million beneficiaries of the RSA. Today, only 42% of them are registered with Pôle Emploi. The stated objective is to improve support for recipients, who may be particularly lacking in the current system, while 18% of them (around 340,000 people) “are not referred to a support organization”according to the report.

It is to correct this situation that the government wishes to condition the payment of the RSA to about fifteen hours of activity per week, in a logic of ” rights and duties “. The device must be one of the levers of the executive in its objective of achieving full employment by 2027 – an unemployment rate around 5%, against 7.2% today. In January 2022, the Court of Auditors had criticized the poor results of the RSA in terms of returning to work. “In total, seven years after joining the RSA (…), only 34% have left and are in employment – ​​and of these, only a third are in stable employment”noted the court in his report.

“Announcement effect”

But several voices are expressing their doubts and their concern with regard to the government project. “It would cost a fortune to give fifteen to twenty hours of activity to each RSA recipient”, warns Michaël Zemmour. The economist believes that such a measure is only a “announcement effect to say that we are going to put people back to work”. In his report, Thibaut Guilluy is counting on an investment of 2.3 billion to 2.7 billion euros for the period from 2024 to 2026.

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