Sign of the importance of the subject and the moment, Emmanuel Macron, this Monday, invited himself – extremely rare – at the start of the coordination meeting of the executives of the presidential camp. He asked them not to “lose the thread of the reform”, according to a participant confirming information from “Parisien”.
“This reform is an absolute necessity for the financing of our pensions and the solidity of the country”, he insisted, believing that “we must carry this speech and appeal to the responsibility of the oppositions which could vote for the reform” . He also insisted on the need to “reach the majority”. Impliedly, he would therefore like to avoid recourse to Article 49.3 of the Constitution.
“Not ready to draw it”
This Monday morning, on France Info, it was the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, who, heart on hand, assured him. When asked if he could guarantee that the bill would be adopted Thursday in the Assembly in the event of a conclusive joint committee (CMP) on Wednesday, he let go that he could guarantee “that we will do everything which is needed this week to build a majority.”
Before deciding: “This is the only option we are working on. The Minister wants to see in the adoption via the vote blocked on Saturday in the Senate with a majority from the right and from the center, “proof” that the government can have, despite its relative majority in the Assembly “a majority on the text”.
Same story on the side of the government spokesperson, Olivier Véran. While emphasizing of course that 49.3 is “not a taboo” but “a constitutional tool”, he assures that it is “not an option that we use”. “We have the president of the Republicans, Eric Ciotti, and the presidents of the LR groups in the Senate and the Assembly who say ‘we are ready to vote on the text’. Suddenly, the 49.3, we are not ready to draw it, ”he insisted on LCI.
“There is a way for an agreement in CMP. And a text voted by the representatives of the two chambers is then intended to be adopted by the two chambers”, he also explained, describing in passing as “anecdotal”, the possible defections on the reform in the presidential camp. …
“Pass the baby to LR”
The Minister of the Economy himself raised a tone in the face of the doubts that exist among certain LR deputies. “It would be crazy to have a party that votes for a text in the Senate and does not vote for it in the Assembly […]. By dint of inconsistency, we are not going anywhere, ”he lashed out to put the recalcitrant LR deputies in front of their responsibility. A popular outing.
“This strategy is a bit surprising, saying we don’t want a 49.3, they want to pass the baby on to LR, laments an LR deputy. But the truth is that it shakes everywhere, they too will have to be counted. As Bruno Retailleau said, it’s either Russian roulette or fat Bertha. But this stroke of pressure is not very clever, it does not change anything for those who want to vote for the reform, but for those who hesitate, it turns them on. Within LR, a new count will be made after the CMP.
In the meantime, great care is being taken at Matignon and in the majority to prepare for this strategic meeting. The presidents of the majority groups, as well as the members of the majority who will participate in the CMP and beyond, a few specialists, were to meet on Monday at the start of the evening around the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, for a working meeting. .
To want and to be able to
“When we need LR, Bruno Le Maire and others should stop talking, it is experienced as provocation! “regretted a framework of the majority. “But if the government advances to this point, it is not only communication. It’s because his count reveals an uncertainty that is less… uncertain than last week, ”smiles the same.
“Everyone is deploying to tell LR ‘we are counting on you’ and to ensure that the LRs align themselves with each other at the CMP, one step after another”, wants to reassure a government source, referring to more later the issue of a 49.3. “Matignon does not want to resort to it, underlines another. But I don’t see how they can do without. Until Thursday, the tension will be strong between wanting and being able.