French Senate approves pension reform plan ahead of National Assembly vote

A final version of the controversial pension reform that has set off massive protests and strikes in France was approved on Thursday in the Senate. The reform passed by 193 votes to 114 and will now be put to the National Assembly, where President Emmanuel Macron's faces a battle to pass the legislation. 

Protesters at a demonstration in Paris against the pension reform hold a sign calling retirement at 49.3 years old, referring to a constitutional provision that would allow the Prime Minister to ram through the legislation without a vote in parliament. © Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

A joint commission of Senators and MPs on Wednesday agreed on a final version of the bill which would raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 years old.

In order for the bill to pass in the National Assembly, which failed to vote on a first version of the legislation, lawmakers from Macron’s party depend on support from the opposition conservative Republicans (LR), and some have expressed hesitations.

"In my group, as well as in the ruling party, there are some MPs who do not want to vote for this reform," the top-ranking LR lawmaker in the Assembly, Olivier Marleix, said on Wednesday.

The government has argued the reform is necessary to reduce deficits and keep the system economically viable. The opposition warns the reform will penalise low wage-earners and will force people who started manual jobs young to work longer than graduates, who would be less affected by the changes.

Resorting to force?

If MPs fail to pass the legislation, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne could use a power in article 49.3 of the constitution that would allow her to push it through anyway, without a vote.

Resorting to this, however, would expose her and Macron’s government to a confidence vote, which it might lose.

"We don't want the 49.3," government spokesman Olivier Veran said on Sunday. "We want there to be a positive vote for this bill."

• France's article 49.3 a handy constitutional tool to bypass parliament

If the bill does pass, the political implications of a reform opposed by most of the population are also uncertain for Macron and the country at large.

Opinion polls show that two-thirds of French people oppose the reform and support a protest movement organised by trade unions, who have led a massive resistance since the start of the year.

Strikes continue

After an eighth general strike and protest day on Wednesday, some sectors are extending their mobilisation on Thursday, including transport and energy workers.

A rolling strike by garbage collectors in Paris also continues, with nearly 8,000 tonnes of uncollected waste piling up on the city’s streets.

• Bin collectors' strike seeks to thwart French pension reform

On Wednesday evening, Laurent Nuñez, the prefect of police, said he would requistion workers and force them back to their duties after the Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, refused to do so. She said that the protests were fair.

A private collection company, Derichebourg, which had been collecting some garbage in some of the worst-affected areas, said on Wednesday it would stop after strikers threatened to block the entrances to its site.

(with wires)