“It is a reform of equity, which respects the social contract”, assured the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt, specifying that it was a question of “modifying the conditions of affiliation from September 1, 2023”.

In addition "there are a certain number of regimes that we are not closing", he added, such as that of fishermen-sailors.

Article 1 provides that the main existing special schemes, including those of the RATP, the electricity and gas industries and the Banque de France, should be phased out gradually.

"We understood that you do not like railway workers, and that you despise gas electricians", launched the communist Sébastien Jumel.

“We will vote against this article 1 and you must give up”, added Clémence Guetté, for LFI.

"At a time when the RATP can no longer recruit, do you want to abolish its special pension scheme?"

questioned the RN Laurent Jacobelli, vilifying a measure "out of time" in a reform "unfair, useless, inhuman".

"At the start of the 21st century, what is the purpose of these special diets?" Asked LR Stéphane Viry, "favorable" to this article even if "we would have preferred a more ambitious trajectory".

The deputies had previously adopted the "introductory article" of the text, setting the public deficit forecast at 5% of GDP in 2023, by a narrow majority of 246 votes for and 229 against.

The deputies notably adopted a government amendment to this article setting the framework for an increase of 750 million euros in health insurance expenditure: 600 million euros for hospitals and 150 million for city medicine.

This is to take into account a budget extension promised by Emmanuel Macron in early January.

But it will still be necessary, to ratify this increase, that another amendment of the government be adopted, the examination of which is planned later.

The votes of LR deputies on this introductory article were divided (27 for, 15 against, 8 abstentions), illustrating the difficulties for the presidential camp to rely on them to have the reform adopted.

"By voting we do not give you any pledge", had warned the deputy LR Marc Le Fur.

© 2023 AFP