France is experiencing today the twelfth day of mobilization against the controversial pension reform of President Emmanuel Macron, with its sights set on the street, but above all in the Constitutional Council, which has to rule tomorrow on the law and decide whether to censor it, if you modify part or give the approval in its entirety. If the latter happens, the law, which raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 and is opposed by 70% of French people, will be promulgated and enter into force in September.
Today’s session is the last one before the verdict. The question is what will be the reaction in the streets after this decision, if it will mean the exhaustion of a mobilization that has lasted three months or, on the contrary, will add more tension to the streets. “The fight is far from over,” said Laurent Berger, CFDT general secretary. “He will not be able to govern if he does not withdraw the reform,” said Sophie Binet, leader of the CGT. The unions are already planning another day of protests for May 1.
The mobilization, which has been on strike for three months and 12 days, has been easing and participation in the latest marches has dropped, while tension has increased, with strong clashes between some participants and the forces of order. Macron’s decision to approve the law by decree, without a parliamentary vote, has further inflamed the streets, which he believes is a contempt for democracy.
The demonstration in Paris has left the Place de l’Opéra, in the direction of Bastille, and has passed through the headquarters of the Constitutional Council, where there is extensive security. This morning the entrance woke up full of rubbish and the Ministry of the Interior has prohibited demonstrations in the area. Shortly after starting the protest in the capital there were already tensions between radicals and the agents. Also damage to shops and public furniture. Up to 200 demonstrations had been called in the country and there is still no participation data, although it is expected that it will also be downward, like the two preceding ones.
“The movement is gaining importance internationally and this benefits us,” says Jerome, a man carrying a banner that reads: “We wanted to do better, but we did it as usual.” “Against Macron and the bosses,” says another slogan, held by Baptiste, a student at the Sorbonne. “We are against the reform, against Macron and against capitalism, it is the same. It is our last bullet before tomorrow’s decision.”
The opposition parties resorted to this group of wise men considering that the processing of the reform (as a budget law) does not comply with the Constitution. With this argument, they believe that there are elements that can be tweaked.
In addition, the Council has to decide if they accept the referendum proposal of the left to set the retirement age at 62 years. This process is long and complex, and five million signatures have to be collected in nine months.
CFDT leader Laurent Berger has warned that if the law is partially censored by the savants, Macron should resort to article 10 of the Constitution which allows re-examination of the text in the Assembly before promulgating the law.
If the Council approves the reform as it is, without touching any point, and also does not accept the referendum proposal presented by the left, the tension in the street may increase. That the Council knocks down the essentials of the reform (the delay of the retirement age from 62 to 64 years) is unlikely. It has never censored an entire law. It would be a blow to Macron, who is already severely weakened for the remaining four years of his term. Yes, it could censor some measures, especially those that cannot be framed within a budget text, which is how the Government has processed the law. This option is assumed by the macronista field.
The government spokesman, Olivier Véran, said this morning after the Council of Ministers that “the government will seek appeasement” after the decision. “The Council has the right to serenity in its debates and respect for its decisions.”
The Council is made up of nine wise men, three elected by the Government, three by the Assembly and three by the Senate. Marine Le Pen said yesterday that “we must reflect on whether the members are totally independent in their appointment.” Among them are politicians and well-known personalities, such as former ministers Laurent Fabius or Alain Juppé.
For today’s demonstrations there are 11,500 agents mobilized, more than 4,000 in Paris, where the strike of the municipal garbage services has returned. Shortly before noon, some 200 people managed to enter the headquarters of the LVMH group on Avenue Montaigne in Paris. This company, owned by billionaire Bernard Arnault, is for the protesters a symbol of capitalism and the defense of the rich that many reproach Macron for. Last week the Rotonde was attacked, which is the restaurant where he celebrated his victory in 2017 and which also symbolizes this elite.
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