French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday (Thursday) passed the controversial law to raise the retirement wave in the country from 62 to 64 without a vote in parliament - a decision that is expected to increase the anger of opponents.
After three meetings yesterday with Macron, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne informed the National Assembly (lower house) about the decision.
Bourne was met with boos and sang "La Marsaise".
"We cannot gamble on the future of our pensions," she told lawmakers.
"The reform is necessary."
By implementing the new retirement age, 64, without a vote in parliament, Macron risks that his perception among the public as arrogant and distant from the people will strengthen.
The French Senate approved the law yesterday morning, but the chaos in the lower house happened because Macron's Renaissance party does not hold a majority in parliament. In addition, the center-right Republicans, who previously supported raising the retirement age to 65, were in no rush to support Macron due to the widespread protest against the law.
A strike by garbage collectors in Paris (Photo: Reuters)
Demonstrations in Paris against the law (photo: screenshot, official website)
Demonstrations in Paris against the law (Photo: GettyImages, Kiran Ridley)
The decision to abstain from a vote in the National Assembly, perceived by the president's political opponents as an anti-democratic decision even if legal, was made after two months of widespread demonstrations and strikes that exposed the gap between Macron and millions of French people who see his changes as a threat to their way of life.
The French government used the entire legislation known as 49.3 after an article in the constitution, which allows certain laws to be passed without a vote.
The opposing lawmakers now have 24 hours to submit a motion of no confidence.
If the motion of no confidence is rejected, the law will become a state law.
If the motion of no confidence passes, Macron's prime minister and cabinet will have to resign, and the law will be rejected.
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