• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Europe
  4. France's contested pension reform bill goes to Senate
Europe

France's contested pension reform bill goes to Senate

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 18 Feb 12:11

Despite countrywide protests and strikes, President Emmanuel Macron's government has decided to push ahead with the bill.

  • Lawmakers gather at the National Assembly, on Feb. 6, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
    Lawmakers gathered at the National Assembly, on Feb. 6, 2023, in Paris (AP)

The lower house of France's parliament examined a contentious pension plan aiming at raising the country's retirement age from 62 to 64 during what was believed to be the final debate on the issue before submitting it to the Senate.

Despite countrywide protests and strikes, President Emmanuel Macron's government has decided to push ahead with the bill.

Legislators debated amendments to the second of 20 articles on Friday morning.

Both the government and the opposition accused each other of using the political debate to harm the democratic discussion.

Macron's allies condemned the left's "obstruction" strategy that it said prevented lawmakers from doing their jobs.

The government was chastised by opposition MPs for utilizing parliamentary rules on budget legislation to set a tight deadline in the National Assembly, stating that it did not allow enough time to debate such an important matter.

The bill will be debated in the Senate on March 2. The lengthy legislative procedure is expected to last several weeks.

Workers' unions and youth organizations have threatened to "bring France to a standstill" on March 7.

The government hopes that the document will eventually be voted on by both houses of parliament, with the support of The Republicans, who have long advocated for hiking the retirement age.

Macron's centrist alliance has the most seats in the National Assembly, but it lost its majority in last year's legislative elections.

It is worth noting that the Republicans control the Senate.

The far-right National Rally has sought a no-confidence vote against the government, which will be held in the early hours of Saturday following the conclusion of the pension bill debate.

Several political parties have declared they will not vote for the resolution, which requires half of the Assembly's seats, or 289 seats, to be approved. The National Rally has 88 lawmakers in its ranks.

Despite polls consistently showing growing opposition to the reform and Macron's own popularity dwindling, the French president insisted on keeping a key campaign pledge he made when he swept to power in 2017 and before his reelection in April 2022.

  • Protests
  • France
  • pension reform
  • Macron

Trending Now

All
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, left, delivers a speech at the National Assembly in Paris, Thursday, March 16, 2023 (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

Macron gov passes bill on pension reform without vote from Parliament

Most Read

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

  • US & Canada
  • 22 Mar
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference on 25, February, 2022. (AFP)

Kiev unable to launch counteroffensive: Zelensky

  • Europe
  • 25 Mar
Europe's move has only increased Putin’s esteem outside the West -- but estimation of Europe’s political nous and understanding of Russia, however, is sharply diminished.

Lawfare Comes into Fashion: The New Geo-political ‘Rack’

  • Analysis
  • 25 Mar
Crewmen enter Bradley fighting vehicles at a US military base at an undisclosed location in Northeastern Syria, on November 11, 2019 (AP)

US occupation bases under fire in Syria for second day in a row

  • MENA
  • 24 Mar

Read this

All
Khader Adnan
Palestine

Khader Adnan's health condition deteriorating rapidly: Prisoners Club

  • 26 Mar
French police crackdown leaves protester's life hanging by a thread
Europe

Sainte-Soline police violence leaves protester life hanging by thread

  • 26 Mar
Demonstrators gather outside Downing Street during a Black Lives Matter march in London, on June 6, 2020.
Europe

Black children more likely to be strip-searched in England, Wales

  • Today
Elon Musk's photo is seen through a Twitter logo in this illustration taken October 28, 2022. (Reuters)
Technology

Twitter worth less than half of what I paid for it: Elon Musk memo

  • 26 Mar
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS