Are the deputies able to lead a debate – more or less – serene and in-depth on the pension reform? Doubt is allowed after a first examination of the text by the Social Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, from Monday January 30 to Wednesday 1is february. The discussions, synonymous with a warm-up before the work in session, were often stormy and confused. Above all, only two articles – out of the twenty contained in the bill – could be reviewed: the flagship measure, rejected by a majority of the population and by some of the opposition, which consists in pushing back from 62 to 64 the legal age of departure, was not addressed.
Closing the exchanges, Wednesday evening, Fadila Khattabi, the president (Renaissance) of the commission, regretted that they did not allow “to go to the end of the text”. “We still met for twenty-eight hours”she said, believing that it was ” more than enough “ with regard to the number of provisions included in this amending Social Security financing bill for 2023. The MP for Côte-d’Or recalled that the elected representatives of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) had carried a “plethora of amendments” – « 6 194 » exactly, i.e. about 85% of all those filed by all the groups.
“Delay” maneuvers
In fact, a very large part of the debates was devoted to the proposals defended by the left, in particular on article 2, relating to the creation of an index on the employment of seniors. On the grounds that they wanted to give “consistency” to a device “ghostly”, the elected representatives of Nupes sought to make it more restrictive. In terms of financial sanctions against companies that do not publish the results of this index, they have for example defended more than ten amendments to the applicable rate. Representatives of other political forces have lost patience. “I ask you to stop this game (…) d’obstruction »launched Bénédicte Auzanot (National Rally, Vaucluse), denouncing maneuvers “delay”which prevent “to arrive quickly” to the central measure of the reform: the postponement of the legal retirement age, to which the far right is hostile, just like the Nupes.
MEPs on the left have also been accused of slowing down the discussion by supporting numerous amendments aimed at freeing up new resources for pension schemes: increased taxation on the highest inheritances, contribution on “food store automatic checkout machines”… Such a ” strategy “ leads to a « impasse », according to Philippe Vigier (Democrat, Eure-et-Loir). It’s due “blocking”, was indignant Sylvain Maillard. Incidentally, the Renaissance deputy from Paris attacked the elected Communists, who obtained a vote in favor of their amendment having the effect of reducing the CSG rate demanded of the wealthiest retirees: a ” gift “ qualified as“incoherent” by Mr. Maillard, the left also seeking to bring money into the coffers and not being supposed to fly to the aid of the better off categories.
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