France's President Macron overrides parliament to pass retirement age bill

3 yıl önce

French unionists hold a banner during a demonstration on a 8th day of strikes and protests across the country against the government's proposed pensions overhaul in Calais, on March 15, 2023.

Sameer Al-doumy | Afp | Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday resorted to using special constitutional powers to push his plan to raise the retirement age to 64 from 62 through the lower house of parliament.

The pensions overhaul has been met with widespread protests and strikes across France.

The reforms were passed in France's Senate on Thursday morning but had been due for a vote in the National Assembly (the lower house), where its approval was not guaranteed.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced to the assembly that the government would trigger Article 49.3 of the French constitution.

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Lawmakers opposed to the reforms booed, chanted and shouted "resignation" as she spoke, Reuters reported. At one point the session was suspended for two minutes as politicians sang the national anthem too loudly for her to be heard.

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