President Emmanuel Macron chose to push through a very controversial pension reform plan that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 instead of engaging with the French Parliament.
The government claims that France’s leader wants to raise retirement age to encourage workers to contribute more to the system, which is on track to run a deficit.
His administration invoked a special constitutional power on Thursday in response to opposition requests for a resolution of no confidence; this action has sparked protests in Paris.
Left-wing legislators shouted and chanted in opposition to the change as Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne initiated a special procedure to pass the bill through the National Assembly without a vote.
The action, which makes use of Article 49.3 of the French Constitution, will ensure that the measure is passed, but it demonstrates that Macron and his cabinet were unable to secure a sufficient number of votes in parliament.
The far-right opposition in the nation has declared that it will introduce a resolution of no confidence in the executive branch.
Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate in the last two presidential elections and the current leader of National Rally (RN) MPs in parliament, characterized the choice as a “complete failure” for Macron and stated that Borne “cannot stay” in her position.
The measure is the centerpiece of Macron’s second term. Since January, the unpopular proposal has caused widespread strikes and protests.
According to Natacha Butler of Al Jazeera, who was reporting from outside the French Parliament, forcing through a measure by decree is something that happens infrequently and is often regarded as a failure of politics.
No matter what happens, demonstrators and unions, according to Butler, will continue to demonstrate in opposition to the law.
According to opinion polls, two-thirds to three-quarters of the French populace oppose the measure because they believe it to be unfair and to be diminishing their rights.
Later on Thursday, a spokesman announced that French unions would stage additional strikes and demonstrations against the pension reform on Friday.
Hardline CGT union spokeswoman Catherine Perret stated at a news conference that “the unified union front continues to demand the withdrawal of the reform and calls for another day of strikes and demonstrations on Thursday, March 23.
Boos hailed Borne, the prime minister, earlier as she entered the National Assembly to make the announcement about the extraordinary procedure.
Left-wing MPs singing the national anthem blocked Borne from speaking, causing the session to be suspended for two minutes.
When the meeting started up again, Borne spoke. But, in a rare chaotic scene in the French Parliament, the opposition MPs’ jeers, chanting, and “resignation” screams largely drowned out the speaker’s address.
While highly armed guards and riot police surrounded the neighborhoods around the National Assembly, the mood outside of parliament was tense.
In a vote of 193 to 114, the Senate passed the legislation; this result was largely anticipated given that the conservative majority of the upper house of parliament favors raising the retirement age.
Last year, Macron’s alliance lost its parliamentary majority, requiring the administration to rely on conservative legislators to approve the legislation.
Conservatives are divided, and the opposition from far-right and left-leaning politicians made the outcome unexpected.
