Retirement: the reform on hold? Government announcements

The use of article 49.3 to get people to vote, with force and intransigence, had the effect of a shock wave for many French people. After weeks of mobilization, the choice of the executive has created a growing gap between the government and the citizens. While Elisabeth Borne has been instructed by Emmanuel Macron to widen her majority, but also to open negotiations with the unions, the mobilization continues in the streets of France. Could the government finally put the reform on hold? What are the latest announcements on pension reform?

Despite the rejection of the two motions of censure tabled in the National Assembly, the French do not weaken in demanding en masse the withdrawal of the pension reform. At their side, the unions and a large part of the opposition support them around this essential question. Facing them, the executive remains, for the time being, inflexible, like the head of state, Emmanuel Macron, who reaffirmed, during a television interview, his choice not to reconsider this reform. and its willingness to move towards other legal texts.

In this particularly tense context, the rating of the President of the Republic has reached its lowest level since the Yellow Vests crisis and many French people say they are annoyed by the arrogance displayed by Emmanuel Macron. In response, the government of Elisabeth Borne chose to reach out to the unions by calling for discussions with the organizations concerned. The Prime Minister wishes in particular to address, as soon as possible, the subjects of the quality of life at work, training or professional retraining.

During the last day of demonstrations, the secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, had thus called for a pause in the process of this pension reform. He hoped, therefore, to be able to appease the spirits and calm the resentment which grew between French and executive. This Tuesday, the entourage of Elisabeth Borne closed the door to this possibility by saying that the reform would not be put on hold.

In order to remain firm, but open to the debates, the government spokesperson, Olivier Véran, for his part, expressed the will of the Prime Minister, who “stands at the disposal of the unions to receive them very directly, to be able to speak”, as reported by our colleagues from BFMTV. No trace of mediation, therefore, in these last decisions.

If the executive refused the break proposed by the unions, the process launched with the Constitutional Council could bring this desired time for negotiations. The text of the pension reform will, in fact, pass through the hands of nine judges, who will have to deliver their verdict on April 14. A decision which is likely to be particularly scrutinized and could relaunch the mobilization in the event of final validation.

At the same time, the Constitutional Council has also been seized of a bill, “aiming to affirm that the legal retirement age cannot be set beyond 62 years”. Led by Nupes, this proposal is part of a “shared initiative referendum” procedure, which could also put a brake on the promulgation of the law.