The Juppé Plan, enacted on 15 November

1995, is the most important reform of the French social protection system (SWS) since its creation in October 1945. First, we describe the French system which is inspired by the Bismarckian model, a work-based model, and its long-term trends in terms of benefits and contributions. Second, we describe the decisions made as part of the Juppé Plan, and their gradual implementation under the Juppé and Jospan governments: more planned care provision in the health-care sector; a set of family policies geared more to those most in need; the intro-duction of private pensions in a new funded scheme; and above all the introduction of new, more universal mechanisms of funding social security. A project on social cohesion (fight against social exclusion) has also been added to the plan. Third, we analyse the three main conse-quences of the Juppé Plan: the end of the doc-trinal unity of the French system; the economic and financing uncertainties surrounding the implementation of the reforms; and the pol-itical confusion which largely explains why the new left-wing Jospin government can carry on with the implementation of the reform