The Guardian

Macron survives two no-confidence votes as anger over pension age grows

Angelique Chrisafis Paris

The French government survived two votes of no confidence yesterday, but Emmanuel Macron continues to face protests and strikes over his use of executive powers to push through an unpopular rise in the pension age.

Although the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, avoided having to instantly resign, the president remains under pressure to break his silence and shore up the government amid growing anger in the streets. Opposition politicians in parliament accused Macron of arrogance, denying democracy and failing to learn from the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) anti-government protest movement four years ago.

Government insiders, opposition politicians and observers have raised fears that France could see another round of spontaneous revolt in cities and small towns – not just over raising the pension age to 64 but also because of distrust in the political system – only a few years after the gilets jaunes movement shook Macron’s first term in office.

Some observers said one option for Macron in the coming weeks could be to replace Borne and reshuffle the government to try to reset his image.

The first no-confidence motion, put forward by Charles de Courson, France’s longest-serving MP and a member of the small opposition centrist grouping Liot, was narrowly defeated, falling short of the required absolute majority by only nine votes. A total of 278 MPs voted in favour.

The no-confidence motion won the support of politicians from the leftwing New Popular Environmental and Social Union (Nupes), as well as Marine Le Pen’s far-right, independents and some MPs from the rightwing Les Républicains. But this was not enough to topple the government. A second motion tabled by Le Pen’s party was also rejected.

Macron’s proposed changes to the pension system are likely to swiftly become law. But France’s constitutional council will be consulted on the law and opposition parties want to petition for a form of referendum. Under Macron’s changes, the minimum general retirement age will rise from 62 to 64, some public sector workers will lose privileges and there will be an accelerated increase in the number of years of work required to qualify for a full pension.

But tensions are likely to continue on the street in the coming days, with a major day of strike action and protests planned for Thursday. Macron is now under pressure to address the nation and clarify how he intends for the government to keep working, and whether there could be a reshuffle. His centrist grouping lost its absolute majority in elections in June, leaving the government in a weak position.

Boris Vallaud of the Socialist party said the government had “perverted democracy” and shown “arrogance and disdain” towards parliament, opposition politicians, trade unions and insulted “the intelligence of citizens on their own future.”

Olivier Marleix of Les Républicains, which the government will probably have to depend upon to pass any future legislation, delivered a blistering speech saying Macron must change his approach to power.

Marleix said the problem was not changes to the pension system but Macron himself. He said the president had divided France during six years in power, leading the country in an “isolated, narcissistic way, impervious to French people’s lives”.

Since the bill was pushed through last week, tensions have increased with street protests in Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille, where there were arrests and clashes with police.

Roadblocks and demonstrations at roundabouts were under way in some parts of France yesterday, including outside Nantes and Lorient. In Rennes, bins were set alight on a highway and cars were stopped. In Clermont Ferrand, the main rail station was briefly blocked.

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2023-03-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://guardian.pressreader.com/article/281831467974587

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