“49.3 is a responsibility of the Prime Minister. If I consider that this is how we must move forward, I will take my responsibilities ”, asserts Edouard Philippe. Pressed by a part of the majority, including the Elysée, to accelerate the adoption of the text on the pension reform, the Prime Minister for the first time, sent the first elements of answers in front of his.
The explanation took place this Tuesday morning in the Colbert room, in the National Assembly, during the weekly group meeting. A meeting largely devoted to related questions around a possible use of 49.3, while the examination of the text drags on, crushed under the 40,000 amendments tabled by the opposition.
"An infinite time to consider derisory amendments"
“We went from an obstruction tone to a stall tone. When we look at the details of what is going on in the hemicycle, we see an infinite amount of time spent examining derisory amendments. It could be funny, if it weren't tragic, "he said before the hundreds of deputies present. Some say they are "perplexed" and even "very worried" when they see how the examination of the text drags on. Monday, after eight days of discussions, the Assembly did not succeed in adopting that article 1 of the text… out of a total of 65 to be examined.
So what to do? Go strong with the use of 49.3? "I have never criticized its use, I am comfortable with the Constitution", defends Philippe, while several relatives explain that he fears the use of such a weapon so close to the municipal elections, with the risk of a sanction vote against lists supported by the running Republic. Including his in Le Havre. “The question that arises is: should we use it? When? And on what? Poses the Prime Minister, who, according to our information, discussed at length on the subject Monday during his weekly lunch with Emmanuel Macron.
One thing is certain, time is short. “Our objective remains to adopt the reform before the summer. Because after the summer, we are in a slightly different phase, with less time, a formidably busy political and parliamentary agenda, ”explains Philippe. To have the text adopted before the summer, he must be in the Senate in April. To be in April in the Senate, it must be adopted in March in the Assembly. It's mechanical ”. Impossible mission ? The head of government intends to make full use of the two weeks remaining before the municipal truce. Translation: no rush on 49.3… without excluding it.
Get stuck with Emmanuel Macron
"I assume perfectly not to say day by day and hour by hour what I decided to do," assumes Philippe in front of the deputies, to avoid leaks in the media. "I could tell you things that couldn't happen, just to throw off the wrong tracks!" ", He even provoked, causing laughter in the Colbert room.
"But I can still tell you that when I have to take responsibility, I haven't got into the habit of discarding myself," warns Philippe about a possible recourse to 49.3. But not too early, therefore: "We need you to continue to be in the discussion, for a simple reason: I find it complicated and difficult to understand for the opinion to take note too early", he asserts, manner of play the watch… and also to calibrate its position with that of the President of the Republic that several close relations describe as more going on the use of such a constitutional tool. Response from Philippe, a bit provocative and smirked: “I will never get tired of the little music consisting in thinking that the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister are not aligned. I'll never grow tired ! "
