Pension reform in France: motions of no-confidence filed against government

In the dispute over the French pension reform, the opposition has submitted two motions of no confidence in the government. However, success is considered unlikely. The protests in the country continue.

Two motions of no confidence in the government have been tabled in the French parliament in the dispute over the pension reform. According to its leader, Bertrand Pancher, the motion by the liberal Liot faction was also signed by MPs from the left-wing Nupes alliance. Marine Le Pen’s right-wing Rassemblement National also tabled a motion of no confidence. It is expected to be voted on on Monday.

To be successful, a motion of no confidence needs an absolute majority of MPs. In this case, the reform would be rejected and the government would have to resign. President Macron could then appoint a new prime minister or call new elections. However, success is considered unlikely. If the motion of no confidence does not get the required majority, the reform is passed.

Protests in many parts of the country

Since Thursday evening there have been protests in many places in France against the pension reform and how it should be passed, which also continued on Friday. In Paris, the city highway was temporarily blocked in the morning. The union CGT had called for this. Demonstrators also blocked roads and roundabouts in Rennes and Brest, as reported by the newspaper “Le Parisien”.

Pupils and students blocked schools and universities. Some refineries have announced renewed or extended strikes, but the supply of fuel to filling stations has not come to a standstill so far. Disabilities in local and rail traffic were also limited. Striking Paris garbage collectors were ordered to work by the police prefect as 9,000 tons of rubbish piled up in the streets.

Many arrests in Paris

According to the police, 217 people were arrested in Paris during partly violent protests on Thursday. There were also riots during demonstrations in other French cities. In Marseille, demonstrators vandalized several shops and set garbage cans on fire. According to reporters from the French news agency AFP, there were also clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Nantes, Rennes, Lille, Grenoble and Lyon.

Retirement age increases to 64 years

A central point of the reform is the increase in the retirement age to 64 years. Currently, the retirement age in France is 62 years. In fact, retirement begins later on average: those who have not paid in long enough to receive a full pension work longer.

At the age of 67 there will then be a pension without a deduction, regardless of how long it has been paid in – the government wants to keep this up, even if the number of years of payment required for a full pension is to increase faster than previously planned. She wants to increase the monthly minimum pension to around 1,200 euros. With the reform, the government wants to close an impending gap in the pension fund.