• France: from 42 special regimes to one: this is the Macron pension reform that threatens to stop the country
  • Interview.Pilippe Martinez, the scourge of Macron: "He is very sure of himself, but he is playing with fire"

The French government wants to impose by decree the controversial pension reform project in the face of the opposition blockade, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced on French deputies on Saturday.

Philippe explained that, after having obtained the green light of the Council of Ministers, he will resort to article 49.3 of the French Constitution to adopt the pension reform without a vote of the Parliament. The French government wants to "put an end to this episode of no debate," Philippe explained.

After 13 days of discussions in the National Assembly, there has been no progress . The party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon La Francia Insumisa and other opposition parties have introduced 40,000 amendments in an attempt to derail one of the key projects of President Emmanuel Macron's reform program.

Following Philippe's announcement, discussions on pension reform are suspended and deputies will have 24 hours to file a motion of censure against the government. At least 58 deputies are needed to present one.

If no motion of censure is presented within the period and conditions provided, the pension reform would be automatically adopted.

The deputies of the left - communists, socialists and La Francia Insumisa - and of the right announced on Saturday that they will present two motions of censorship.

Once the motion of censure is presented, the National Assembly must vote it within 48 hours. If the government does not exceed it, you must submit your resignation.

However, the motion of censure has little chance of prospering, since Macron's party, The Republic in March, has a large majority in Parliament. The opposition would need to gather 289 votes for the motion of censure to prosper.

The risk that the Government runs is that the imposition by decree of the unpopular pension reform fuels the protests in the streets, after the public transport strikes and the December and January demonstrations.

Philippe Martinez, general secretary of the CGT union, denounced on Saturday "the deeply scandalous attitude" of the government and announced that the unions will mobilize this week to protest against the appeal of article 49.3. Martinez, of Spanish origin, has been the most combative union leader against pension reform in Macron.

The French president wants to simplify the current pension system and eliminate the inequalities it generates. To do this, he wants to merge the 42 current regimes to create a unique universal system in which all workers enjoy the same rights in their retirement for the same contributions. He also wants to end the so-called "special regimes." These workers are retiring now or with better conditions than the rest.

The unions fear that after the pension reform, the French will have to work longer and receive less pension than now.

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