When Martine Aubry, the Socialist leader, hinted that it might be necessary to raise the legal retirement age to 61 or 62, she was shouted down by her own party.

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At present, employers can get rid of older workers once they reach the mandatory retirement age without fear of legal redress.

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As a result, nine-tenths of companies with more than 30 employees today set a mandatory retirement age, usually 60, the legal minimum.

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