President’s address: his first speech since 49.3

Thursday March 16, Elisabeth Borne mobilized article 49.3 of the Constitution to have the pension reform adopted without a vote of the Assembly. This decision provoked many reactions, including the anger of the opposition within the Chamber itself. Indeed, LFI deputies held up signs saying “64 years old, it’s no!”, as shown by the BFMTV broadcast. The same evening, a spontaneous mobilization took place at Place de la Concorde in Paris following a call from the Solidaires union. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 10,000 people were then gathered. This spontaneous demonstration became the scene of clashes between demonstrators and police during the night.

At the same time, the inter-union met to decide on the next demonstrations following this decision. Catherine Perret, confederal secretary of the CGT, spoke about future mobilizations. Broadcast live by BFMTV, it announced that the inter-union “calls for local union rallies this weekend” and a new day of national mobilization on Thursday March 23. Many public sector unions therefore remain mobilized, as is the case for refineries, or even rail and air transport.

Following this use, two motions of censure had been tabled respectively by the Freedoms, Independents, Overseas and Territories (LIOT) group and the National Rally. A lot of hope was pinned on the cross-partisan motion of censure proposed by Charles de Courson, Dean of the National Assembly. On Monday, the verdict is in: both motions are dismissed. The cross-partisan no-confidence motion lacked nine votes to pass. During these debates, Emmanuel Macron did not speak once. New improvised mobilizations took place throughout the territory following the rejection of the motions. However, the unions and the opposition mainly target the president, as the images reported by Le Monde show.

Following the adoption of the pension reform, Monday March 20, Emmanuel Macron will be present on the JT of TF1 and France 2 this Wednesday at 1 p.m. Questioned by Marie-Sophie Laccarau and Julian Bugier, the president will speak and answer questions from journalists. Some questions may already be scheduled. Indeed, during the Franco-British summit which took place on Friday March 10, Emmanuel Macron had affirmed not to exclude the use of a 49.3. During a working meeting at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday before the vote, the president was already saying that he “wants to go to the vote”, as reported by our colleagues from FranceInfo. He will therefore probably have to justify his choice to use article 49.3 of the pension reform. Indeed, most representatives of the majority defended the idea that a 49.3 was not planned.

The opposition criticized his lack of speaking out while this reform was defended in its program for the presidential election. During a Council of Ministers last February, two sources reported to Le Figaro that the president thought that the opponents “[were] totally lost and consider as usual that the French are only the decoration of their action for lack of being at the heart of their concerns”. Reactions are therefore probably expected following these comments.

Other opponents of Emmanuel Macron awaiting answers from him: the unions. Indeed, after many days of mobilization, the unions have not yet been able to speak directly with Emmanuel Macron. Indeed, after a request from the unions to meet Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, no invitation or discussion was offered. It is therefore the journalists who will go to the Elysée for an interview.

This choice of lunchtime would be strategic according to Matthieu Croissandeau, BFMTV political columnist. It would be a time when the French go home, and to which retirees pay attention. There would therefore be “a desire to address the territories”. Wednesday is chosen because it is the day before he leaves for the European Council in Brussels. He should therefore act on the adoption of the reform and “try to close the soap opera”.

This speaking out is therefore mainly a justification of all the debates concerning the reform. There will probably be no announcement of ministers’ departures since more time would be needed to announce such news. There is a “maturation process” of Emmanuel Macron. The reform must also go through the Constitutional Council before being definitively adopted.