- The French government activated a mechanism in the Constitution that allows a package of measures to be approved without a legislative vote
On Thursday, March 16, the French government approved a pension reform, evading the vote of the members of Parliament. The package of measures has been harshly criticized since 2022 because, with it, it is intended to delay the retirement age from the current 62 to 64 years of age.
The Senate unilaterally approved the reform despite the fact that a large part of the population has expressed their discontent with the decision, which opens the doors of a political crisis in France.
In The newspaper We explain the circumstances in which this package of measures was approved and why it is said that this decision can lead to a motion of no confidence:
1. Borne formally announces the approval of the reform without the votes of the deputies
French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne formally announced on Thursday March 16 before the National Assembly that the government will circumvent the vote of deputies to approve the controversial pension reform.
“You cannot run the risk of playing with the future of pensions, this reform is necessary,” said Borne amid shouts and boos from the opposition to announce that the Executive will appeal “for responsibility” to article 49.3 of the Constitution.
Borne had to speak between the shouts and songs of La Marseillaise (France’s national anthem) from the left-wing deputies, who also chanted “resignation, resignation” to the prime minister.
The decision to resort to this mechanism, instead of a vote that was seen as very risky due to the lack of a clear majority in the Assembly, was taken after the third meeting held today at the Élysée by the president, Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister and several members of the Executive.
2. Two out of three French people oppose this reform
The trade union centrals called for a new general strike and massive demonstrations in the coming days. The final approval of the form prompts street actions once again to demand that the decision of its approval be reversed.
In February 2023, Laurent Berger, Secretary General of the French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT) urged the government to submit the initiative to a referendum among citizens. By that time, 2 out of 3 Frenchmen were opposed to this reform.
The last pension reform, in 2011, had raised the retirement age from 60 to 62 years of age. In total, in France, there have been more than 270 demonstrations against the decision.
3. Macron considers the reform fundamental
Macron, whose popularity has fallen for promoting this package of measures, considers the reform essential to balance the deficit in the pension system.
According to calculations by the French government, this index increases each year due to the decrease in the number of people of working age and the increase in pensioners due, in part, to the aging of the population.
4. The extreme right warns of a constitutional breakdown
The leader of the extreme right, Marine Le Pen, assured that her group will vote on any motion of no confidence, even if it is from the left, after the decision of the Executive to avoid the parliamentary vote.
He also considers that the situation is one of a “deep political crisis”, he pointed directly to President Macron, since, he said, the pensions reform was the only reform he presented during the electoral campaign.
“A text that does not have a majority in the National Assembly or the support of the people should go to the trash,” said the deputy from the extreme right, who considered that this decision “exhibits” the weakness of the presidency.
The left is also preparing a motion of no confidence, according to the communist leader, Fabien Roussel, who encouraged continued mobilization in the streets and insisted on his initiative to call for a referendum, for which four million signatures are needed.
“The motion of no confidence is ready, we will try to get it to receive the greatest possible support,” said the communist deputy.
5. The scenario of a motion of no confidence
The opposition to Macron, who was re-elected in the presidential elections a year ago but lost his parliamentary majority in the legislative elections that were held two months later, has already presented several motions of censure.
However, none have prospered.
For a vote of no confidence to pass, the extreme left and extreme right must have the support of the Republicans, the conservative group that Macron relied on to approve the pension reform.
With information from EFE