Squeezed French Millennials Blame Boomers in Backlash Over Soaring Deficit

A viral French X account has tapped into rising generational tensions in France, where squeezed millennials rallying under the slogan "Nicolas foots the bill" say that better-off baby boomers should do more to fix the country's huge deficit.

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PARIS —

With the government facing collapse over how to plug the euro zone's biggest deficit, younger workers are increasingly accusing the boomer generation, those born between 1945 and 1964, of saddling France with unsustainable debt.

The creator of the "Nicolas Qui Paie" X account, which has drawn more than 74,000 followers, told Reuters he launched the movement to defend his generation, arguing that politicians tend to cater to pensioners who vote more reliably.

"They have so much voting power that no effort is ever demanded of them. So politicians keep squeezing workers," he said in a written interview, asking to remain anonymous to protect his career.

French pensioners retire early, and their generous pensions have risen with inflation, unlike wages, helping to shield them from cost-of-living crises.

As they live longer, they are straining a post-war pension system that is struggling to keep pace with modern demographics.

Meanwhile, their once-affordable homes are increasingly inaccessible to first-time buyers.

On social media, the hashtag #NicolasQuiPaie has gone viral, with thousands identifying with "Nicolas," a fictional millennial — people born in the 1980s and 1990s — whose taxes they say disproportionately fund France's generous welfare state.