It peaks today at France debate on the pension bill presented by the government of Emmanuel Macron, which provides for raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.

After a period of protracted mobilizations and political confrontations, the Senate passed the bill with 193 votes in favor and 114 against, which, however, was largely expected, judging by the conservative majority in the Senate. Now the bill has been “submitted” to the National Assembly, and its fate there looks uncertain.

The president MacronEarly Thursday morning, he met with some of the leaders in his centrist government alliance to discuss the facts of this “difficult” situation in the National Assembly.

Political associations of the National Assembly

Macron’s alliance lost its parliamentary majority last year, and the government ended up dependent on the votes of conservative MPs. At the same time, the parties of the left and the far right have a clear position against Macron’s pension initiative, while conservative deputies dividedas a result of which the outcome of the vote seems uncertain.

Emmanuel Macron has announced that he intends to raise the retirement age so that, as he claims, “workers contribute more money to the insurance system”, which, according to the government, “will show a deficit.”

Macron has reduced pension reform to one of the pillars of his drive to make the French economy more competitive. For their part, the trade unions stood on the “battle ramparts” until yesterday evening, urging deputies to vote against the bill and at the same time accusing the government of “undemocratic” actions.

Some 500,000 people took part in demonstrations against the bill across France on Wednesday, with students calling for a march to the National Assembly today. At the same time, the cleaners continue to strike.

Two versions of Macron

Macron’s side announced the president’s intention to hold a vote in the National Assembly in the usual way. Labor Minister Olivier Disot acknowledged after the conclusion of the vote in the body of the Senate that the government has no guarantees and confidence that the plan approved on Wednesday will be voted on by a majority in the National Assembly, adding that “we are determined to form this majority” within the next few hours. .

Moreover, approval by the National Assembly would have made Macron’s pension plan much more politically legitimized. On the other hand, if the government wanted to overcome the risk of rejection by parliament, President Macron could “impose” the bill without a vote using a constitutional provision.

Such a choice – according to the Politico report – could potentially put Macron face to face with a new union resurgence, while, according to the same report, the reference to this constitutional “opportunity” of the president is no longer considered particularly popular by most French people.

The political thermometer in France rose in connection with the retirement during the mass “riots” in Western Europe. In Britain on Wednesday, teachers, doctors and public transport workers went on strike demanding higher wages.

At the same time, Spain’s progressive government “allied” with the unions, announcing a “historic” agreement to preserve the insurance system and with a central political axis to increase insurance premiums for the highest paid.

According to the Associated Press and Politico.