Green light from the French Senate to the compromise text on the pension reform, before the last and unpredictable vote of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament.
In the right-wing majority Senate in Paris, the disputed reform which provides for the progressive raising of the pension age from 62 to 64 was approved with 193 votes in favor and 114 against, at the end of a session lasting one hour and forty-five.
As widely expected, Républicains and centrists lined up in support of the Macronist majority but 6 Republican senators voted against and 7 centrists too.
Nineteen Républicains senators abstained as did 13 centrists.
The ball now passes to the National Assembly. The moment of truth is set for 3 pm, when what has been baptized as 'the mother of all reforms' will be presented to deputies for a vote.
On paper, the Macronians do not have an absolute majority, but the support of the Républicains of the moderate right.
In whose ranks, however, there are several snipers who will not vote for it.
A crucial challenge for the rest of Emmanuel Macron's five-year term.
After an initial meeting this morning, the president decided to convene the leaders of the presidential camp for a second time, at noon, to take stock of the situation and decide what to do.
The group leader of the Renaissance deputies to the National Assembly, Aurore Bergé, said she was "convinced" that the pension reform will be adopted by the National Assembly, arguing however, in the event of a rejection, going to vote after the dissolution in her opinion would allow a " explanation".
"My belief is that we must go to the vote" today.
"I am convinced that if we go to the vote we will have a majority to
adopt the reform," Bergé told Cnews before going to the emergency meeting convened at the Elysée on the day of the pension showdown.
"Not a single voice in our group will be missing to approve this reform", assured the macronist leader.
As for a possible
dissolution of the Chambers, in the event of the rejection of Emmanuel Macron's project, for Bergé it would be a "clarification".
"Everyone understands that if we decide to go to the vote this afternoon and we don't have a majority in the National Assembly, there is a need for clarification", Bergé declared again, addressing, in particular, the Républicains deputies.
"I think that for the clarity of the French right, they have to vote (in favor of the reform) and I think, honestly, consciously, that they will vote for this reason."
