The retirement age in France may soon be increased, potentially due to the conflict in Ukraine.

• One of the earliest retirement ages among industrialized nations, the retirement age is currently 62, and President Emmanuel Macron wants to increase it to 65.
• On April 10, France will hold a first-round presidential vote, with a final round taking place on April 24.
• Recent opinion polls indicate a rise in support for Macron following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although this increase has somewhat diminished over time.

The retirement age in France may be pushed back, following unsuccessful attempts, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and Emmanuel Macron's successful diplomacy.

The pension system reform in France, which has been challenging and expensive for many French presidents, including Macron, was halted in 2020 due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

He has not given up and now wants to delay the retirement age from 62 to 65. France currently has one of the earliest retirement ages among industrialized nations.

With his reelection prospects looking brighter, analysts anticipate that he will proceed with his contentious reforms.

Despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the likelihood of pension reforms occurring has increased, according to Salomon Fiedler, an economist at Berenberg, who spoke to CNBC on Thursday.

On April 10, France will hold a first-round presidential vote, with a final round taking place on April 24. Recent opinion polls indicate that support for Macron has increased since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although some of that increase has waned in recent days.

Some of Marine Le Pen's political opponents have close ties to the Kremlin, and it is reported that she accepted money from Russian banks in the past to keep her party financially stable.

Earlier this year, thousands of campaign leaflets featuring her photo alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin were reportedly destroyed by her, but her campaign later claimed it was due to a typo.

Tomasz Michalski, an associate professor at the H.E.C. Business School in Paris, stated to CNBC that his political opponents are undeniably lenient towards Russia.

The upcoming vote for the French National Parliament in June will be crucial for the pension reforms, as it will determine whether Macron has a working majority or if his party members will need to form coalitions to pass laws.

According to Michalski, it is "highly probable" that the upcoming French Parliament will have more lawmakers who support Macron, thereby enhancing the chances of the president successfully implementing his reforms.

The political sentiment towards pension reform in France has shifted, with even Le Pen, who previously supported a retirement age of 60 for all, now advocating for a "more realistic reform."

Valérie Pécresse, the Conservative Party candidate, supports a retirement age of 65, while she is pushing for a 60-year retirement age for those who started working before they turned 20.

France's retirement age of 62 has exceptions based on career type, which Macron aims to change for a more streamlined system.

In France, pension reform will occur gradually, according to Jessica Hinds, senior European economist at Capital Economics.

Since Pécresse also wants to modify pensions, Le Pen has become more practical regarding her stance. As a result, Macron can attempt to implement the reform through parliament without requiring a special decree to circumvent any furious legislators, she stated.

Changing France's pension system will not be an easy task.

An opinion poll published on Friday revealed that 70% of respondents were against increasing the retirement age, with half of them expressing strong opposition.

Fiedler from Berenberg advised that France must maintain a balanced budget.

Among OECD countries, France spends a considerable amount on pensions, with 13.8% of its total GDP allocated to this in 2018. This was second only to Greece and Italy.