The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has decided to extend his hand to his unpopular reform of the national pension system, bypassing parliament and only having it approved by the government. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne used a special procedure to override the National Assembly, a resolution that sparked protests from left-wing lawmakers waving banners against reform.
Taking advantage of the so-called 49:3 article of the Constitution, the movement will ensure the adoption of the bill that raises the retirement age by two years to 64 after weeks of protests and strikes across the country. However, it also shows that Macron and his government have not been able to secure a sufficient majority in the House, which will complicate the continuation of the legislature. The upper house, the Senate, had, as expected, given the green light in the morning, thanks to the support of senators from the conservative party Les Republicains (Lr). But the afternoon vote of the National Assembly, the lower house, could have been something else. There, Republican lawmakers are divided on the issue.
When Borne went to the Parliament to explain the procedure on his arrival, he was greeted with boos and the session was adjourned for two minutes after left-wing deputies prevented him from speaking by singing the national anthem. Some had signs saying “No to 64”. When the session resumed, the prime minister took the floor, but his speech was largely covered with boos and cheers from opposition lawmakers and cries of “resignation”.
“We cannot gamble on the future of our pensions, this reform is necessary,” Borne told lawmakers. said. “My political interest and political will was to go to the vote,” Macron would say at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, but “I believe the financial and economic risks are too great in the current situation.” “To play with the future of the country,” as French media reported.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National’s far-right, urged Borne to resign: “Referring to 49:3 at this last minute is a sign of extraordinary weakness,” he said, adding: “He must go.” France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said the pension reform did not have “parliamentary legitimacy”.
Implementation of this measure risks further infuriating unions, protesters and left-wing opposition parties who allege that the pension review is unfair and unnecessary. “This government is not worthy of our Fifth Republic, of French democracy,” said Fabien Roussel, head of the French Communist Party. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure told Reuters such a move could pose an “uncontrollable danger” after weeks of strikes and protests.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
