Macron’s government has faced a “moment of truth” regarding the restructuring of the pension system – #Macrons #government #faced #moment #truth #restructuring #pension #system
PARIS, 20 March (Reuters) – President Emmanuel Macron’s government, pension will increase the age pension on Monday after bypassing the lower house to pass a deeply unpopular overhaul of its system National He faced two motions of no confidence in the assembly.
Violent unrest has erupted in several cities, including the capital Paris, and unions have vowed to step up strike action, giving Macron the most dangerous challenge to his rule since the Yellow Vest uprising.
“It’s not a failure, it’s a complete train wreck,” Laurent Berger, head of the moderate CFDT union, told Liberation newspaper.
Monday’s no-confidence vote is unlikely to pass, but the outcome could be tight. A successful vote of no confidence would bring down the government and pension will destroy the legislation that will increase the age by two years to 64.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called Sunday’s vote a “moment of truth” for the government.
To topple the government, Macron’s opponents need the support of a majority of 577 MPs, an alliance that must stretch from the hard left to the right.
A senior official from the conservative Les Republicains (LR) party officers they said that they will not stand behind the motions of no confidence. But there are also rebels in their ranks.
One of them, Aurelien Pradie, who was removed from his No. 2 position in the party for opposing the pension legislation, said that about 15 LR deputies were ready to support the tripartite proposal.
Le Monde calculated that at least 26 LR MPs would need to support the proposal for it to succeed.
Even if the proposals are rejected, Macron’s failure to find enough support in parliament to bring the pension system back to a vote has undermined his reform agenda and weakened his leadership, observers say.
“Even if the government is significantly weakened, it will remain in place, against reform social protests are likely to continue for several weeks, and this France economy,” Barclays said in a briefing note.
An Elabe opinion poll showed two-thirds of French people want the government to fall, highlighting the public perception challenges Macron faces.
Other polls showed that its popularity 2018/2019 has fallen to its lowest level since the Yellow Vest uprising, which sparked massive protests against high diesel taxes. protest started as a movement but turned into a wider anti-Macron uprising.
“This is perhaps the last democratic moment for the Assembly to make the government think twice,” said Frédéric, a Paris resident who preferred not to give his last name.
Strikes at oil refineries entered the 13th day. Output at the 240,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Normandy refinery and the 119,000-bpd field at Feyzin was reduced as shipping blockages left storage tanks close to full.
Paris bureau report; Written by Richard Lough; Edited by Hugh Lawson
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2023-03-20 15:26:56
Source – reuters
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