He affirms that ‘Macron can dissolve the National Assembly’

It has been claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron will dissolve the National Assembly if the controversial pension reform is not adopted.

According to French press reports, Macron summoned Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and her cabinet to the Élysée Palace last night, and this morning he met with representatives of the ruling majority. Macron called on the ruling wing to take a strong stand to get the reform approved.
Sources from the Élysée Palace also stated that Macron will decide to dissolve the National Assembly if parliament does not approve the “reform bill that plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.”

On the other hand, Macron is said to be able to consider the option of passing the bill in parliament without a vote, based on the government’s privilege in the constitution. In such a case, there is a possibility that the opposition wing, which was excluded from the vote, will offer a question of no confidence to overthrow the government.

The reform project, approved yesterday in the Mixed Commission, will finally be presented to the Senate and then to the National Assembly today.

CRITICAL WEEK FOR THE PENSION REFORM

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced on January 10 that the pension reform, which was among President Emmanuel Macron’s election promises, would be implemented.

Noting that in the country where the retirement age is 62, the statutory retirement age will gradually increase by 3 months each year and will increase to 64 in 2030, starting on September 1, Borne said that in 2027, a 43 year premium payment requirement will be entered to receive the full pension. There have been multiple strikes and protests across the country since January 19 against the controversial reform.

The Senate, which approved the most controversial article of the reform on March 9, “which plans to gradually increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 years,” accepted the other articles of the reform on March 12.

The reform, discussed and accepted yesterday in the Mixed Commission, will be put to a vote again in the Senate, after which it will be sent to the National Assembly for a final vote. The ruling wing, which does not have an absolute majority in parliament, has been trying to persuade lawmakers from the centre-right Republicans (LR) party to support them in recent days. (AA)