France: against the pension reform, the Nupes and the RN file a referendum motion

Even if the referendum motion is adopted by both Houses of Parliament, it is only a referendum proposal made to the President, who is free to follow up or not.

AFP - JULIEN DE ROSA

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

MPs Nupes and RN announced on Tuesday, January 24, the filing of referendum requests on pension reform, one of them to be examined on February 6, at the start of the debates in the National Assembly in two weeks.

A way for opposition to cut short by rejecting the text outright.

Advertising

Read more

The referendum motion is the new secret weapon of the Nupes in the face

of the pension reform project

.

At the initiative of the Communists, a hundred deputies from the left alliance tabled a “referendum motion” on Tuesday, January 23, then the RN deputies.

These requests aim to suspend the examination of a text in order to submit it to a referendum.

► Also to listen: Pension reform: "the government would take a risk by using article 47.1"

The road is still long.

If the Assembly and then the Senate vote in favor, Emmanuel Macron will have to decide whether the pension reform will pass – or not – by a referendum.

And given the discontent of the French on the subject, the union of the left hopes to bring the head of state to consult the country.

“ 

If you absolutely want to bring this reform to an end, it will have to go through a referendum.

This is the minimum 

,

“

said Pierre Dharréville, Communist deputy, at the microphone of

Aurélien Devernoix

from the Political Service.

Republicans cast doubt

Only one of these motions will be put to the vote of the Assembly, before the general discussion on the bill.

The decision will be taken at the conference of presidents at the Palais Bourbon.

The president of the National Rally Jordan Bardella in any case affirmed that his formation was ready to vote for the motion of the Nupes.

“ 

We have no problem signing any referendum motion, since that is exactly what we are defending: to go before the French

 ,” underlines Sébastien Chenu, National Rally deputy.

► Also to listen:

Barbara Pompili: the text of the pension reform "not balanced enough to be voted on as it is"

La Nupes can already count on the support of the group of independents.

But the decision will fall as often to the Republicans, some of whom like Pierre-Henri Dumont who casts doubt on his intention and that of his comrades: "

 If this text is not improved, it is certain that there will be more people who will be tempted either to abstain or to vote, why not, for a motion. 

The message is clear: the government will have to make new concessions to the right, otherwise the situation could well escape its control.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

  • French politics

  • France

  • Social issues