Explanation of text and catching up on hiccups? Two days before the examination by the parliamentary committee of the pension reform, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne went to Calvados this Saturday for a last-minute exchange with citizens and local actors in order to discuss the project. The opportunity for the head of government to reframe the opposition, but also the majority, on what she describes as “false information” peddled on the reform.
A few days before the second big day of mobilization on Tuesday and after the success of the first on January 19, the government is indeed mobilizing on the ground and continuing its pedagogy on the text. But “I think there was a lot of false information circulating”, regretted Elisabeth Borne during this surprise trip to Vire. And to insist three times on the term at the microphone of BFM TV, before citing two obviously carefully chosen examples: “I hear that apprentices before 2014 cannot benefit from the quarters they have acquired within the framework of their apprenticeship, I hear that women would be penalized… it’s exactly the opposite! A thinly veiled reframing to the Minister responsible for relations in Parliament, Franck Riester, whose remarks had created controversy last week.
“Keep explaining”
A warning to the opposition therefore, but also to the executive. “We will continue to make this explanation,” she continued.
The project, which provides for a postponement of the retirement age from 62 to 64 and an acceleration of the extension of the contribution period, begins its examination in Parliament on Monday. It is contested by all the trade unions, most of the opposition and a large majority of the public.
The head of government first went at the end of the morning, without press, to the wishes of the mayor of the small town of Saint Rémy, Serge Ladan, according to his entourage. The rebellious Noé Gauchard had, in the June legislative elections, obtained in this commune nearly 61% of the votes, against 39% for Ms. Borne. She participated at noon in the wishes of her deputy, Freddy Sertin (Renaissance), in his new office in Vire. Elisabeth Borne was elected MP in the 6th constituency with 52.5% of the vote, against 47.5% for Noé Gauchard.
Rather discreet since the presentation of this reform on January 10, the Prime Minister has already taken part by surprise, the day before the first day of mobilization, in a public meeting in Nogent-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne). She had defended a project “carrying social progress for the country”.