Macron faces another test in Monday’s parliamentary elections By Reuters

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© Reuters. People demonstrate to protest the French government’s use of Article 49.3, a special clause of the French Constitution, to push a pension reform bill through the National Assembly without a vote from lawmakers, in Nantes, France, March 18 5/2

Dominique Vidalon

PARIS (Reuters) – President Emanuel Macron is at a critical juncture on Monday when the National Assembly is due to vote on a vote of no confidence after his government bypassed Parliament on Thursday to push through an unpopular increase in the state retirement age.

The move, which followed weeks of protests against an overhaul of the pension system, sparked three nights of riots and demonstrations in Paris and across the country, reminiscent of the Yellow Vest protests that erupted in late 2018 over high fuel prices.

However, while Monday’s vote may show anger at the Macron government, it is unlikely to bring him down.

Opposition MPs filed two votes of no confidence in Parliament on Friday.

Lyot’s centrist group proposed a multi-party vote of no confidence signed by the far-left Nupes alliance. A few hours later, France’s far-right Rally National party, which has 88 members of the National Assembly, also filed a vote of no confidence.

But even as Macron’s party lost an outright majority in the lower house in last year’s elections, there was little chance the multi-party proposal would pass unless a surprise alliance of lawmakers from all sides, from the far left to the far right, was formed. far right.

Leaders of the conservative Republican Party (LR) ruled out such an alliance. None of them sponsored the first vote of no confidence, filed on Friday.

But the party still faced some pressure.

In the southern city of Nice, the political office of Eric Ciotti, leader of the Republicans, was raided overnight and tags were left threatening to riot if the movement was not supported.

“They want to use violence to pressure my vote on Monday. I will never give in to the new supporters of the Terror,” Ciotti tweeted.

Macron’s overhaul raises the retirement age by two years to 64, which the government says is necessary to ensure the system doesn’t collapse.

The broad alliance of France’s main trade unions has said it will continue to mobilize to try to bring about a reversal of change. Thursday is the day of the nationwide strike.

Philippe Martínez, leader of the far-left CGT union, told BFM television that he condemns the violence, but “the responsibility for such a high level of anger lies with Macron.”

According to a company representative, on Sunday morning, 34% of operational personnel were on strike at TotalEnergies refineries and warehouses.

Railroad strikes continue and rubbish piles up on the streets of Paris after scavengers join the action.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Le Parisien newspaper, commenting on the prospect of Monday’s vote, that “I don’t think there will be a majority to overthrow the government. But this will be the moment of truth.”

“Is pension reform worth overthrowing the government and political unrest? The answer is definitely no. Everyone must take responsibility,” he added.