The government suffered a first major setback in the Assembly on the pension reform on the evening of Tuesday February 14 with the rejection of the article establishing a “senior index”, while Elisabeth Borne had just unveiled new concessions to the Republicans on long careers.
Pension reform: seniors still pushed out
A dramatic turn from article 2: after three days of debate marked by very lively incidents, the Assembly rejected the“senior indexes” by 256 votes to 203, with 8 abstentions. 38 LR deputies voted against.
Tense debates in the Assembly
A slap for the government, greeted by cheers and songs from the elected officials of Nupes, quickly rebuffed by the president of the Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet. “Tonight, the whole left and the FN are celebrating” this vote, deplored the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt, who called them “Tartuffe”.
“If Nupes withdraws its unnecessary amendments, it is still possible to defeat the government on Article 7 and the extension of the legal age to 64 before the end of the week! »reacted the leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen.
This negative vote promises another three days of suspense and tension at the Palais Bourbon, where the debates will end on Friday, with or without a global vote, for a transfer of the text to the Senate. Without guarantee on the holding of a vote and even a debate on article 7, which pushes back the legal age of departure from 62 to 64 years.
Reaching out to Republicans
This nocturnal episode is also new proof of the great complexity of the government’s equation, which is banking on an agreement with LR to have the text adopted in Parliament despite the persistence of the social movement, with a fifth day of action on Thursday.
Tuesday afternoon, Elisabeth Borne had dropped ballast on the aspect of long careers, announcing that employees eligible for this device, that is to say having started working before the age of 21, would not have to contribute more 43 to retire, once they have reached the required early retirement age.
Pension reform: “It is at 55 that the employer’s view begins to change”
Matignon then clarified that it would be possible to leave without a discount with these 43 years of contributions. In the initial project, some long-career employees had to contribute for 44 years. A new gesture from the government towards LR, whose management is trying to contain the deputies refractory to the adoption of the text.
In the forefront of which the vice-president of the party Aurélien Pradié, who in session Tuesday evening still reproached Olivier Dussopt for “provide no response to questions from parliamentarians” and warned him of a future “major democratic problem”.
More than 14,000 amendments still to be considered
Tabled in the evening, the government’s amendment provides for a possible departure at age 63 for those who have worked 4 or 5 quarters before the age of 21, as well as future measures by decree, which has left LRs waiting. It also remains “500 million euros to find” to finance these measures, quantified the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, on LCI on Tuesday evening.
The debates have hardly advanced, the presidential majority, feeling fragile, having rather slowed down the pace. During the day, Elisabeth Borne had once again urged the left to withdraw the “blocking amendments” to allow “a real substantive debate”.
More than 14,200 amendments remain to be examined by Friday evening, and 18 articles of the bill. Nupes has withdrawn more than 1,000 amendments since Monday.
First targeted by these accusations of obstruction: La France insoumise, weakened by the various incidents during the session, the latest having led the deputy Aurélien Saintoul to present his “public apology” to Minister Olivier Dussopt, Treaty of“murderer”
At the same time, a fifth day of action awaits the executive on Thursday, organized at the call of the eight main unions. A “last summons”dixit Laurent Escure (Unsa), before a new day on March 7, after the school holidays, which could trigger renewable strikes.
