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PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron authorized the use of a controversial constitutional maneuver to bypass parliament and impose his deeply unpopular pensions reform.
Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne announced in parliament Thursday afternoon that the government was invoking article 49.3 of the constitution, in what is seen as a nuclear option ahead of what would have been a key vote in the National Assembly. The surprise move allowed the government to push through legislation without submitting it to a parliamentary vote.
Macron’s Renaissance party lost its absolute majority in the National Assembly in parliamentary elections last year, but the government was able to pass legislation in recent months with the support of the conservative party Les Républicains. It appears, however, that in the nail-biting run-up to the vote, the government did not have enough support from the conservative party whose vote was crucial to the passage of Macron’s centerpiece reform.
The reform would increase the legal age of retirement to 64 from 62 and extend contributions for a full pension in an effort to balance the accounts of France’s state pensions system. The pensions reform was also a cornerstone of Macron’s bid for re-election last year, and a defeat in parliament on this issue would have wrecked the rest of his tenure.
However, invoking the article 49.3 is widely seen as a risky move for Macron as it allows MPs to submit motions of no-confidence within 24 hours. While the government has survived motions of no-confidence in recent months, the stakes are much higher this time around. If a majority of MPs vote in favor of a motion, Borne’s government would be forced to resign.
Bypassing parliament will also whip up support for French trade unions, that have led nationwide protests and strikes on an almost weekly basis.
