Confused in France! Opponents of the pension reform took to the streets

Following the decision of the Borne government in the National Assembly to approve the reform bill, which seeks to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 years, without a vote, opponents of the reforms are holding demonstrations in different cities of the country such as Lyon and Lille, especially in Paris.

There are tense moments between police and protesters at the ongoing demonstration at the Place de la Concorde near the National Assembly in Paris.

As some protesters hurled objects such as rocks and fireworks at the police, the police responded with tear gas and water cannons at the protesters.

The police are trying to evacuate the protesters from the square. Protesters set fire to the barricades in the square.

According to information obtained by the AA correspondent from a police source, there are thousands of protesters in the square.

Meanwhile, the different unions in the country have called demonstrations this weekend and on March 23 against the pension reform. The unions also called a strike on March 23.

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF FRANCE, CARRIED

The guest of the French channel TF1, Borne, made assessments about the introduction of paragraph 3 of article 49 of the Constitution, which ensures that a pension reform bill is approved, which aims to progressively increase the retirement age to 64 years. by parliament without a vote.

Borne acknowledged that he did not have enough votes to approve the pension reform bill in the National Assembly.

Stating that they did their best to gather a sufficient majority in parliament for the bill until the last moment, Borne claimed that he and French President Emmanuel Macron really wanted to go to a vote in parliament for this reform.

Borne pointed out that there is a difference between the initial version of the bill and the final version approved by the Senate in the morning.

Responding to boos from the opposition ranks when he announced that he had put Article 49 paragraph 3 of the Constitution into effect in the General Assembly of the Assembly, Borne said: “I was not angry. I was shocked.” He said.

ARTICLE 49 OF THE CONSTITUTION, § 3

Paragraph 3 of Article 49 of the Constitution authorizes the government to approve the bill without a vote in the National Assembly and allows the opposition to file a motion of no confidence against it.

If the motion of no confidence receives the support of the majority of the deputies of the Assembly, the government falls.

If the proposal is not supported by a majority in the Assembly, the bill is considered approved without a vote in the Assembly and goes to the Senate.

The French took to the streets many times to carry out massive strikes and demonstrations against the pension reform, the content of which was announced by Borne on January 10. (AA)