The French Senate approves the controversial pension reform project

He french senate approved late this Saturday the controversial project of the pension reform promoted by the Government of Emmanuel Macron, despite strong popular discontent, which experienced a new chapter this Saturday with the seventh day of national mobilizations called by the unions.

The text, which was debated through an accelerated procedure activated by the Executive to avoid numerous amendments filed by the opposition to hinder the debate, received the support of 195 senators and 112 votes against.

The first reactions of the Government celebrating the decision did not wait and, just a few minutes after the vote, the French Prime Minister, Elisabeth Bornecelebrated the “decisive step” towards a reform that “will guarantee the future” of French pensions.

“totally committed to allow a definitive adoption in the next few days”, remarked Borne, through Twitter.

The Macronista bloc benefited from the pro-conservative position of Los Republicanos, whose leader, Bruno Retailleaudefended a reform of the retirement system as something imperative to save it from “demographic shock” that the evolution of the population will imply in the coming years.

“The main act of solidarity is to guarantee the balance of the system”, the French Minister of Labor had previously defended in the Senate, Olivier Dussopt.

In the opposite camp, the socialist senator Monique Lubin assured, in his last turn to speak, that this Saturday he will remain as a “black day for all wage earners” from the country.

The text of the pension reform will be discussed on the 15th in joint mixed commission to agree on a common version that must then be validated, as of March 16, by both chambers.

In the National Assemblywhich previously did not get to vote on the entire bill at first reading, the vote is expected to be adjusted.

At the earliest, the final vote would be possible that same day and the maximum period covers until March 26at the end of the day.

Delay the retirement age

The main axis of the reform promoted by Macron is to delay the minimum retirement age by two years, of which Current 62 years at 64.

The Government defends changes such as the only feasible way to guarantee financial equilibrium of the system by 2030, since, if nothing were done, he estimates that in ten years a deficit of close to 150,000 million euros would accumulate.

The debate this Saturday took place while, in the streets, thousands of French came out to protest against the reform convened by all the unions, who reject this reform head-on.

It was about the seventh day of mobilizations since the Executive revealed the details of the project, last January, and had less follow-up than on other occasions.

Despite this, the union leaders assured that the rejection of the French to the reform is “more than absolute” – the polls show that the vast majority of citizens are against– and challenged the president to call a referendum.

For next Wednesday, coinciding with the examination in joint joint commission, the unions have already called for a new day of mobilizations.