Marseille (AFP)

First political reactions to the Prime Minister's decision to engage the responsibility of the government to have the pension reform project adopted without a vote via article 49-3 of the Constitution.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, President of LFI: "the government has noticed that its own majority was unable to defend the text (...) We did well to table our amendments and organize the debate upstream because otherwise there would not have been a debate at all. If it had not been for their part, the desire to finish it (...) before the municipal elections, there would be no kind of difficulty if the debate, in total, lasted 6 to 8 weeks, which is very little for a law that will change the lives of millions of people "(in the Assembly)

Marine Le Pen (president of RN): "After having refused a referendum and using the coronavirus crisis, the government, with the cynicism that everyone recognizes, has just drawn 49-3 to push through its odious pension reform. The French will not forgive this outrageous maneuver "(Twitter)

Christian Jacob (president of LR): "The government will therefore use 49-3 to pass an irresponsible pension reform. This use of 49-3 is another proof of weakness on the part of the Prime Minister" (Twitter)

Olivier Faure, first secretary of the PS: "The government chose to authorize the use of 49-3 during the council of ministers responsible for containing the Covid-19 epidemic. Everyone will appreciate" (Twitter)

André Chassaigne (PCF deputy): "In no case did our group show obstinacy in blocking the debates, quite the contrary (...) anger on the justifications put forward by the Prime Minister which are absolutely scandalous. Our desire today is to table a motion of censure, we will put this in place with the other left groups (in the Assembly) .

Stanislas Guerini, LREM general delegate: "It has been almost two weeks since our democracy has undergone the parliamentary sabotage orchestrated by our oppositions. It is clear that faced with a strategy of prevention, going after this debate had become impossible. our oppositions use the Constitution to prevent our democracy from working, let them not be offended that the Government also uses constitutional means (...) to bring democracy to life. I support the Government in this choice, convinced that this major reform for the future of our country must become a reality "(to AFP).

Eric Woerth (deputy LR): "It is completely regrettable (...) The government presented a confused, illegible text on which we had great difficulty in finding means of expression and the government very few answers (...) We hope that France can continue to reform its pension system but that it will do so with seriousness and efficiency "(to the Assembly)

Martine Aubry, PS mayor of Lille: "After having consulted for months without taking it into account, after having despised the demonstrators and the majority position of the French, after having presented a law to Parliament with an accelerated procedure, referring essentially to orders , the government's use of 49-3 is a democratic scandal combined with a social catastrophe. No Frenchman knows what his retirement will be, but everyone understood that he would receive less, by working more, and that the inequalities linked in particular hardship and precariousness would be increased "(to the APF).

Adrien Quatennens, LFI deputy from the North: "The substantive debate (...) revealed the scam of this bill that a majority of French people want to see withdrawn. Nothing the presidential program announced there is respected. Edouard Philippe draws the parliamentary LBD. Quick, a 49.3 citizen! " (Twitter)

© 2020 AFP