If Macron survives both no-confidence votes, he can implement his controversial pension reform.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Paris The first of two votes of no confidence in the French National Assembly against the government and its pension reform narrowly failed. 278 MPs withdrew their confidence in the center government under President Emmanuel Macron in the vote on Monday evening, as Parliament President Yaël Braun-Pivet announced. However, the necessary absolute majority of 287 votes was not achieved.
It is expected that the second vote of no confidence will also fail. In that case, the gradual increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64 would have been officially adopted.
Last Thursday, after weeks of heated debates, the two chambers of parliament were to finally vote on the reform. The Senate approved the project. However, a green light from the National Assembly, where the government does not have an absolute majority, seemed uncertain.
She therefore decided at the last minute to quash the reform with a special article in the constitution without a vote by the National Assembly. The opposition then submitted two motions of no confidence.
Currently, the retirement age in France is 62 years. In fact, retirement begins later on average: those who have not paid in long enough to receive a full pension work longer. At the age of 67 there is then a pension without any deductions, regardless of how long it has been paid in – the government wants to keep this, even if the number of years required to pay in for a full pension is to increase more quickly. She wants to increase the monthly minimum pension to around 1,200 euros. With the reform, the government wants to close an impending gap in the pension fund
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