France's Macron forces pension reform through parliament by decree

The French government deployed its executive powers on Thursday to push President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform through parliament without a vote. The decision to use the constitutional tool was made minutes before a vote on the bill was set to take place in the National Assembly.

French President Emmanuel Macron. AFP - MICHEL EULER

A Council of Ministers was convened on Thursday to allow the government to trigger powers in article 49.3 of the constitution that would allow it to adopt the reform, which has led to months of social unrest.

The article makes it possible to have a bill adopted without a vote by lawmakers in the National Assembly.

Three opposition groups confirmed on Thursday night that they wanted to hold a vote of no-confidence in the government. Unions opposed to the government plans also called for a nationwide days of strikes on 23 March. 

"Parliament has been scorned and humiliated," said Fabien Roussel, leader of the Communist deputies

"It is a statement of total failure of this government and for Emmanuel Macron," said Marine Le Pen, the leader of the Rassemblement Nationale.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne was booed as she suspended Thursday afternoon's National Assembly session in order to trigger article 49.3.

"We can not gamble with the future of our retirement," she told the chamber.

The decision to invoke 49.3 came amid uncertainty over whether Macron's party had enough support from within its own ranks and from the conservative Les Républicains to get the legislation through the National Assembly.

A final version of the bill – which raises the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 years old – was approved earlier on Thursday in the Senate - the upper chamber of parliament. 

But reports indicated that the ruling party, which lost its overall majority in parliamentary elections last year, was a handful of votes short for passing the legislation through the lower house.

Reform 'necessary'

The government has argued the reform is necessary to reduce deficits and keep the system economically viable.

The opposition warns the reform will penalise low wage-earners and will force people who started manual jobs young to work longer than graduates, who would be less affected by the changes.

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Opinion polls show that two-thirds of French people oppose the reform and support a protest movement organised by trade unions, who have led a massive resistance since the start of the year.

Strikes continue

Union leaders will meet later Thursday to determine their next steps, following the government's decision.

Some sectors - including transport and energy workers - extended their mobilisation Thursdayafter an eighth general strike and protest day on Wednesday.

A rolling strike by garbage collectors in Paris also continues, with nearly 8,000 tonnes of uncollected waste piling up on the city’s streets.

Laurent Nuñez, Paris' prefect of police, said he would requistion workers and force them back to their duties after the Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, refused to do so. She said that the protests were fair.