Macron survives two motions and pension reform is finally approved

The unpopular pension reform, promoted by the president of the France, Emmanuel Macron, was finally approved this Monday, the 20th, after the two motions of censure presented against the government were rejected by a large majority of deputies. The first motion, tabled by the independent group LIOT with support from the left, won 278 votes out of the required 287. The second, developed by the extreme right of Marine Le Pen, received only 94 votes out of 287. Thus, according to the president of the National Assembly (Lower House), Yael Braun-Pivet, Macron’s reform is definitively approved with the completion of these procedures , although its entry into force will have to wait for the resolution of appeals before the Constitutional Council announced by various opposition groups. “We are reaching the end of the democratic process of this essential reform for our country. It is with humility and seriousness that I assume my responsibility and that of my government. For our prepaid pension system. For our social model”, wrote Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Twitter, after the rejection of the two motions of censure. On Thursday, the 16th, the French president relied on Article 49:3 of the Constitution, which rules out the vote of deputies, and approved the Pension Reform that increases the retirement age from 62 to 64 from 2030 and brings it forward to 2027 the contribution requirement for 43 years (and not 42 as currently) for the worker to be entitled to full pension. However, deputies could present motions against Macron’s act, but to veto their approval it was necessary for them to be accepted, which was not the case. The motions presented on Thursday and voted on on Monday amounted to the 16th motion of censure against the current French Executive, appointed less than a year ago in a National Assembly in which it does not have an absolute majority, and the one that has received the most support so far.