Without calling into question the cardinal measure of the reform, the raising of the retirement age from 62 to 64, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne took a step on Sunday towards the LR group, whose votes are essential for vote for reform.

"We are going to move by extending the long career system to those who started working between the ages of 20 and 21", which will allow them to "leave at 63", she announced in the JDD.

A measure described as a "patch" by Laurent Berger, general secretary of the CFDT, the first French union.

"Clearly, this is not the response to the massive mobilization, geographically and professionally diverse, which took place" on January 19 and 31, he said on France Inter.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne questioned about pensions during the program L'Événement" on France 2, February 2, 2023 in Aubervilliers near Paris © Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP

The president of LR Eric Ciotti repeated to the Parisian on Saturday to wish to "vote a pension reform", welcoming the "advances" obtained and pointing to the subject of long careers.

Ms. Borne also assured of her "confidence" in the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt, on the front line on this bill, at a time when he is weakened by suspicions of "favoritism" in the awarding of a public contract when he was mayor of Annonay.

On the side of the unions, the determination does not weaken.

Two new days of action are planned, Tuesday February 7 and Saturday February 11, after two days of strikes and demonstrations, January 19 and 31, the last of which (with 1.27 million demonstrators according to the police and more than 2 5 million according to the intersyndicale) exceeded the participation record of 2010.

Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt leaving the Elysée after a Council of Ministers devoted to pension reform, January 23, 2023 in Paris © Ludovic MARIN / AFP

It is a week of mobilization, "with two dates and a high point", the parades of Saturday 11, to which "we must come massively", said Laurent Berger on Sunday.

"We combined a weekday and a Saturday, we will see on all two days, despite this period of school holidays" (the February holidays), said Friday the secretary general of the CGT, Philippe Martinez.

Obstacle course

From a security source, the authorities expect Tuesday between 900,000 and 1.1 million people, including 70,000 maximum in Paris, where the procession will parade from the Place de l'Opéra to Bastille.

An inter-union will be held at the Labor Exchange in Paris in the evening.

The strikes should once again particularly concern the energy, refinery and rail transport sectors, which have planned to stop work on February 7 and 8.

CFDT secretary Laurent Berger speaks to the press on January 3, 2023 after leaving a meeting in Matignon on pension reform © Thomas SAMSON / AFP

But the time has not yet come for the blocking of the economy, a strategy decried by the reformist unions, who intend to keep public opinion on their side by organizing massive and "friendly, respectful" demonstrations, to better influence the parliamentary debate.

Laurent Berger said he had "very constructive exchanges with members of the majority".

“Of course, it will be up to them to decide. They have to look in all the cities and constituencies where they are elected. When, for example, you are a deputy for Ain and there are 10,000 demonstrators in Bourg- in-Bresse, should that leave you totally indifferent?”, he asked.

LR president Eric Ciotti during a debate on the set of the France 2 program "L'Evenement", February 2, 2023 in Aubervilliers near Paris © Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP

Elisabeth Borne, she "does not consider" the hypothesis of drawing as in the fall on 49.3.

Government and majority would emerge "politically weakened", admits MP Stéphanie Rist (Renaissance), rapporteur of the bill.

The battle which begins Monday afternoon in the hemicycle of the Palais Bourbon promises in any case to be an obstacle course for the government.

The LFI deputies will immediately defend a request for the rejection of the entire reform which worries the presidential camp.

Then the RN group will carry its request for a referendum on the reform, which has little chance of being voted by the Assembly.

The deputies will then tackle the some 20,000 amendments tabled on the bill, including 13,000 by LFI.

Government spokesman Olivier Véran criticized the "stupid and wicked obstruction" of Nupes on Sunday.

Demonstration against pension reform, January 31, 2023 in Paris © Alain JOCARD / AFP

If the Assembly does not come to the end of the amendments by midnight February 17, the text will still be able to pass to the Senate, due to the choice of the executive to resort to an amending budget from the Secu.

© 2023 AFP