France

Pensions : 49-3, a huge political mistake

- 11:03 pm
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anger-49-3

That’s exactly the wrong thing to do. Announcing the use of 49-3 in the open on a late Saturday afternoon, after a cabinet meeting on coronavirus, is a major blunder that Macronesia will pay a heavy price for. At the ballot box. And in the street.

Bullshit. One more example of this government choosing to take members of Parliament by surprise to push through its pension reform project. Of course, everyone knew that sooner or later Édouard Philippe would resort to 49-3, that heavy weapon designed to eliminate all debate and votes in the House on a bill. But not like that. Not on the sly. Not on a late Saturday afternoon after an exceptional cabinet meeting that was thought to be devoted exclusively to fighting the coronavirus epidemic. As if the government were ashamed of its reform project, which everyone agrees is poorly thought out, poorly crafted, incomplete, that it represents more of a social regression than a work of justice for the future.

An edifying letter

Even the Prime Minister is convinced of the vacuity of his text if we are to believe the letter he sent to the trade unions to justify the use of 49-3 and which is published exclusively by the JDD. It reads: “The text on which I hold my government accountable is not the original text. It has evolved considerably, thanks to parliamentary work and the last two months of consultation between the Government and the social partners. “Well, well, well! The reluctance of MEPs is now better understood.
The Prime Minister continued: “It is therefore a text that has been completed, enriched and improved, on which I hold the Government accountable”. A real mockery. Because the financing of this reform has still not been settled. It is being discussed within the “Financing Conference”, of which the Prime Minister specifies: “If, as I hope, the conference reaches an agreement on these subjects, the government will include it in the law. Failing that, as I have said, I will assume my responsibilities, both in terms of restoring the balance and in terms of making things more difficult. The French would not understand it otherwise. “Translation: This conference was to save time. The retirement age will be 64! Basta.

Social fever.

The announcement of the use of 49-3 provoked an outcry in the opposition, from both right and left. Two motions of censure were tabled. Without risk to the government. But it also provoked the anger of the trade unions and all those who have been demonstrating against this reform project for months. A thousand people spontaneously gathered in front of the Palais Bourbon on Saturday evening. Many also demonstrated in front of the prefectures of the provincial towns.
The CGT secretary general, Philippe Martinez, announced the resumption of the demonstrations next week. He was joined by Yves Veyrier, for Force Ouvrière. There is a good chance that we are going to see an outbreak of social fever, which has nothing to do with the Chinese coronavirus, since many professions will take to the streets: from lawyers to teachers, from accountants to opera musicians. Spring will be hot.
Macronesia will not be even. The presidential party must expect to suffer a heavy defeat at the polls on 15 and 22 March. It was already known that the candidates supported by the presidential party did not dare to display the LREM logo, as the Macronie party is so unpopular. We now know that they will be defeated in the municipal elections.
The use of the 49-3 in conditions as lamentable as those witnessed marks the beginning of the end of a political movement that has lasted too long. But the agony is likely to be long. And painful.

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