French President Emmanuel Macron assured this Friday that he does not underestimate the social discontent in the country, but insisted that the pension reform is necessary, despite the massive protests in the streets. “I do not underestimate the discontent of which you are the spokesperson or the anguish expressed by many French people worried about never having a pension,” explained the head of the Elysée in a letter sent to the French unions, who have challenged him in the streets with their mobilizations .
Macron made it clear that he is not willing to give in and that he is going ahead with the pension reform, which is opposed by 68% of French people, according to recent polls. «The Government is, as it always has been, listening to you to advance through dialogue, find innovative solutions, but without compromising on the need to restore a lasting balance in our pension system, since our responsibility is to guarantee future generations their benefits. pensions and transmit to them a viable distribution retirement system”, he added in his letter to the inter-union.
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The unions accuse Macron of “turning a deaf ear” to the protests against the government project to delay the retirement age to 64, compared to the current 62. The inter-union had demanded on Thursday to be received “urgently” by the French president, a meeting that, for the moment, has not occurred.
The unions have called this Saturday a new day of protests against Macron’s pension reform, the seventh since last January 19. One million French people are expected to participate in the 230 demonstrations called throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the reform continues its parliamentary process. The senators had until this Sunday at midnight to debate and vote on the text. In order to speed up the vote on the bill, the Government announced this Friday that it is resorting to article 44.3 of the French Constitution, which includes the so-called “blocked vote” or single vote, to force the Chamber to rule in a single vote on the entire text.
“Authority abuse”
Left-wing senators were outraged by the Executive’s use of this article to force a vote and denounced “an abuse of authority” and considered it “a sign of weakness” on the part of government authorities.
After examining the bill in the Upper House, the mixed joint commission, made up of seven senators and seven deputies, will meet on March 15 to try to reach an agreement on the text, before returning to the National Assembly and to the Senate for a vote. The Government wants the pension reform to enter into force on September 1.