The challenge to the pension reform continues on the political front. The Constitutional Council rejected, on Wednesday, the shared initiative referendum (RIP) initiated by the left on April 13. Through this RIP, the parliamentarians wanted, through a popular consultation, “to prohibit a legal retirement age above 62 years”. A request already submitted and rejected by the guardians of the Constitution.

This verdict comes as no surprise. The Elders judged that the RIP proposal did not meet the required criteria. In particular, the Council considered that the referendum request “does not relate, within the meaning of Article 11 of the Constitution, to a reform relating to social policy”, which is the main point that it had to verify.

Decision n°2023-5 RIP of May 3, 2023 Bill aimed at prohibiting a legal retirement age above 62 [Non-compliance] ?? https://t.co/JX9qk1kV7W pic.twitter.com/SGeQ0loJRb

The left-wing parties united in the Nupes alliance deplored, in a joint press release, a decision which prevents “directly giving the floor to French women and men. Once again, the Fifth Republic expels the people from political decision-making.” “After a historic May Day, we continue the battle, united and determined for the withdrawal of this reform”.

???? The Constitutional Council once again rejects the possibility of a RIP. After a

The left is now betting on a next step in the National Assembly on June 8, the day of examination of a bill from the independent group Liot to repeal the reform bringing the legal age of departure to 64 years.

The “democratic path of this reform is over”, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne said again on Tuesday, May 2, who has set a new roadmap with President Emmanuel Macron and wants to continue to “act”. The Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, repeated before the Senate on Wednesday May 3 that “this text is legitimate”. But no question of “turning the page”, repeats the left alliance.

The second RIP was initiated in extremis on April 13 by some 250 left-wing and independent deputies and senators. The next day, the Constitutional Council, under the leadership of Laurent Fabius, had validated most of the pension reform, including the postponement of the legal age to 64, and rejected a first request for RIP. The law was enacted soon afterwards by Emmanuel Macron, but the battle continued.

Still united after 12 days of mobilizations, the inter-union organized a “combative” May 1st which brought together 800,000 people according to the police and 2.3 million according to the CGT, but was marked by violence.

The Paris police chief has issued an order to prohibit from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. any undeclared gathering as well as the wearing and transport of fireworks within a large perimeter around the Constitutional Council .

The left now places its hopes in the proposal to repeal the reform tabled by the independent group Liot (Liberties, Independents, Overseas, Territories) on the menu of the Palais-Bourbon on June 8. The unions have made an appointment on June 6 for a new day of action, in order to “be heard” by the deputies upstream.

Consult our file: Pensions: the big bang