In the Senate,
Under the gilding and the imposing marble statues, the senators continued this Monday the examination of the pension reform. A second week of work which began with the question of unemployed seniors. On the eve of a big day of mobilization against the government text, the atmosphere was still as cozy in the hemicycle. We were far, far from the chaotic clashes that recently transformed the National Assembly into trenches. But this is not the only difference between the two parliamentary chambers. Senate VS Assembly, 20 minutes makes the game.
Atmosphere: Senate advantage
“The background noise is still quite annoying…”, blows Communist Senator Laurence Cohen into the microphone. However, you have to listen carefully, this Monday morning, to hear the chatter in the bays. Because otherwise, the senators stand square on their red seat. And the tone does not rise much when they speak. “Once again, Mr. Minister, like Sisyphus, we are going to try to convince you…” laughs, in a very senatorial formula, the communist from the North Éric Bocquet.
From time to time, a few spades, like that of Yan Chantrel, wake up the hemicycle a little. “Mr. rapporteur, you should have renamed this amendment, the Medef amendment. So why exemptions from family contributions? What is the relationship with the employment of seniors? “, laughs the socialist. “This remark is derogatory and inappropriate, it does not grow on you …”, we reply on the right. And that’s about it. Especially since on his perch, the president of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, always affable, watches over the grain. Nothing comparable, therefore, with the invectives, interruptions of sessions and other controversies of fellow deputies. The point goes to the Senate.
Suspense: Assembly Advantage
This courtesy is probably not unrelated to the low rate of journalists present on Monday. Conference room, the media are not numerous to welcome the senators who come to pass a head. Incomparable with the traffic jams of cameras and microphones, room of the Four columns, for the examination of the same bill at the Palais-Bourbon.
In the gallery, only a handful of journalists listen studiously. One of our neighbors ended up dropping his pen to play Candy Crush on his smartphone. It must be said that the suspense is not really there. There is no absence of an absolute majority here, as in the Assembly, nor the strategic “coups” of the RN and LFI (they have no elected members in the Senate) which put a little spice in the cooking pot. At the Luxembourg Palace, the large right-wing majority crushes the votes. Assembly advantage.
Attendance rate: equality
This Monday, the hemicycle of the Luxembourg Palace is only half full. But overall, since the beginning of the examination of the text, the attendance rate is more or less the same as during the public sessions within the National Assembly. Draw.
Parliamentary rhythm: Senate advantage
Slowly but surely. After a little over a week of review, the Senate already has a few votes in its bag: the end of special diets or the creation of the senior index. Shortly before noon, the elected officials also validate a proposal from LR to create a “senior” CDI aimed at encouraging their hiring in companies. “We will do everything so that the reform can be adopted,” repeated the boss of LR senators, Bruno Retailleau, on Sunday.
The right-wing majority and the government are well helped by the attitude of the left, which insisted on distinguishing itself from the strategy of La France insoumise in the Assembly. The socialist, communist and environmentalist senators have thus opted for a form of cordial obstruction, by not filing more than 1,500 amendments, against nearly 18,000 for their colleagues. They want to be able to debate the famous article 7 on the starting age at 64 before the end of the examination of the text, on March 12th.