"From January 2024, we will be able to pass the driving license from 17 years old and drive from 17 years old", instead of 18 years old, said the Prime Minister, stressing that this measure would be "a real plus" especially for young people in apprenticeship.

Currently, a young person in accompanied driving can already pass the B licence at 17 years of age, but is only allowed to drive by himself on the day of his 18th birthday. This threshold will therefore be lowered by one year.

The aid of 500 euros paid to apprentices to finance their permit will also be extended to students of vocational high schools, added the head of government.

Parliament definitively adopted on 12 June a Macronist bill to better inform young people about the financing of driving licences and to reduce delays before the exam.

While road accidents are the leading cause of death among young people aged 18 to 24, Elisabeth Borne promised to be "very attentive to the level required" to obtain the license.

"Pre-codes"

The government is "in the process of strengthening road safety certificates to make them kind of pre-codes", she added, assuring that there had been "no more accidents" in neighboring countries that have a driving license at 17 years old.

Several associations (the League against Road Violence, Road Prevention...) have expressed their hostility to lowering because of the risk of accidents.

The association 40 million motorists is in favor of it but would have preferred to keep the accompanied driving currently required for the license at 17 years, while the group of driving schools ECF, which supports this measure, has asked for "mandatory post-license training".

These measures unveiled Tuesday are part of the roadmap for youth that the Prime Minister must present Wednesday in Matignon, in the presence of fifteen ministers and young people that she has regularly met for six months on different themes, after the National Council of Refoundation (CNR) on youth in December.

Digging the furrow of mobility, Elisabeth Borne also announced the upcoming launch of a "pass" allowing young people aged 18 to 20 to take the train free of charge for a month if they are engaged "in a SNU, in a civic service, in a youth engagement contract".

These young people "will have the opportunity to do it once between 18 and 20 years old" thanks to this Pass which will concern "trains that do not fall under the regions, so Intercités and TGV," she said.

Scholarships

As for the idea of reduced fares on the train for young people as there are in Germany, the Prime Minister wanted to "move in this direction with the Minister of Transport" provided that "we embark the regional councils" which have authority over rail transport on their territories.

Addressing the most precarious, the head of government also promised to "renovate" the 12,000 student residence housing "which are not up to standard".

She also announced an increase of 30 euros per month in scholarships for overseas students, which will reach a total of 67 euros monthly, explaining hearing their "difficulties" in territories where life is more expensive than in metropolitan France.

Without an absolute majority in the National Assembly, the executive said it wanted to focus on concrete measures to change the daily lives of the French in order to revive Emmanuel Macron's five-year term after the pension crisis.

Wednesday in Matignon, the young guests will exchange with various ministers and Mrs. Borne, before participating in workshops in the gardens and listening in the courtyard to several artists on the occasion of the music festival.

© 2023 AFP