Swallow a frog to avoid a possible political setback. Parties close to French President Emmanuel Macron want to prevent the vote of a bill that would repeal the unpopular pension reform. This Wednesday, they took the first step to prevent this initiative, which was planned to be discussed and voted on 8 June, from reaching the Turkish Grand National Assembly. This Social Affairs Committee The Assembly took a stand against the discussion of the article asking for the withdrawal of the price hikes. minimum retirement age Ages 62 to 64 years (with 43 years of contributions to receive full pension).
Despite the biggest wave of union protests in this 21st century in this vibrant neighboring country, the centrist Executive said in March.It was decided“Raising the legal retirement age. Due to the controversial article 49.3 of the Constitution, the measure was not voted on in the lower house. In response, a central opposition group (LIOT) introduced a bill to repeal the pension reform. Taking advantage of the parliamentary niche that this small group of centrist and regional representatives (from Corsica and Brittany) occupied that day, the vote is scheduled for 8 June.
The result of this hypothetical vote looks very vague. Since macronism does not have an absolute majority in the Assembly, Republicans (LR on PP), 61 representatives – the fourth power in the Lower House, where this legislature hinges – is split over pension reform. Faced with the prospect of a majority of MPs voting to repeal the increase in the legal retirement age, which would mean a blatant setback for the Executive, parties close to Macron seem ready to do anything to get it. avoid that vote.
Macron considers it “unconstitutional”
They took the first step this Wednesday. The House Social Affairs Committee voted against the main article of the bill repealing pension reform, with 38 yes and 34 against. Following this decision, the LIOT group will be able to bring this item back on the agenda with a change next week. But then it will be subordinate to the president of the National Assembly, Yael Braun-PivetDecide whether to accept or not.
“There should be no discussion on this item. clearly unconstitutional“, Braun-Pivet assured on Tuesday. Macronism considers the bill to repeal the increase in the minimum retirement age “unconstitutional” because it will result in “an additional cost of 18,000 million euros”. However, the LIOT text considers creating a special tax tobacco and holding a conference on the financing of pensions. At least in shape, it doesn’t look too different from other bills submitted by the opposition. The main difference is another: Macron’s desire to turn the page leading pension reform has plunged his presidency into one of his worst internal crises.
“Danger for democracy”
By blocking the vote of this bill, the president risks rekindling anger. HE 71% of French want the text to be discussed and voted on About repeal of pension system reform and 61% approval, according to a survey of the Elabe institute published this Wednesday by the BFM TV network. “You are a danger to democracy,” reproached Mathilde Panot, head of the France Insoumise parliamentary group. The debate at the Social Affairs Commission this Wednesday was tense. And deputies of the left-wing coalition NUPES, the first opposition force in the parliament, broke up in the middle of the session after the presidency of this body did not allow changes to be discussed.
In addition to 49.3, Macron applied multiple legal tools, unusually, to speed up parliamentary debates and to misplace unions. According to opinion polls, this fueled the feeling that reform was being imposed, despite opposition from all unions and more than 65% of the French.
“The anger will intensify if the government continues to impose itself by force, using constitutional tricks once again,” the unitary union bloc said on Tuesday. On the absence of protests since 1 May, June 6 new day demonstrations and strikes around the country.