The European country with the smallest 10‑year increase in minimum wage: Sophie Binet (CGT) is right about France’s SMIC, but her claim needs nuance

Between 500,000 and 700,000 demonstrators are expected by the authorities this Thursday, November 5.

For this day of national strike, the inter-union is pleading for an increase in the minimum wage, which has not seen a boost since 2012, an increase in all salaries, more tax justice, preservation of public services, and always better study conditions for young people. Concerning the minimum wage, the only one in France to experience automatic changes, the Minister of Relations with Parliament Laurent Panifous affirmed on franceinfo that "there will perhaps be a measure on the minimum wage", leaving the Minister of the Economy Roland Lescure to probably announce it tomorrow" (Friday). "We are now a country of low wages" The general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet, warns against an increase which would be far from meeting the expectations of the unions.

“Plus 0.5% or more 0.6%, we are not here for a yellow coin operation. When we see the explosion in the cost of living, it is not more than 0.6% on the minimum wage that will respond,” she said this Thursday on LCI. “We must increase all salaries, that is why we are calling for the immediate opening of negotiations on salaries in all companies and in all branches, employers must take their responsibilities,” continues Sophie Binet.

The latter is nevertheless “welcome” that “the government is finally talking about a boost to the minimum wage”. "It's been 14 years since there has been an increase in the minimum wage and no boost to the minimum wage. France is the European country that has increased its minimum wage the least in 10 years. We are now a country of low wages," laments the general secretary of the CGT. Employer contributions concentrated on low wages According to Eurostat data, the minimum wage has actually increased less in France than in neighboring countries.

In 2016, the French minimum wage was one of the highest in the euro zone (1,467 euros) and was only exceeded by Luxembourg (1,923 euros) and Belgium (1.

502 euros). Germany had only just created one. Since then, the French minimum wage has only increased by 24% (1.

823 euros in January 2026), when it increased by 50% in the Netherlands (2,295 euros), by 63% in Germany (2,343 euros) or by 40% in Belgium (2.

112 euros). In nominal value, the minimum wage is now lower in France than in neighboring countries. This is also true in purchasing power parity, the method used to account for price differences between countries.

In this regard, the highest minimum wage is in Germany, followed by Luxembourg and the Netherlands. However, we must keep in mind that not all countries necessarily have the same working hours. Eurostat data for the Netherlands are, for example, calculated on the basis of a 36-hour week, those for Germany on the basis of an average working time of 38.8 hours per week.

Machine-translated from French