French Senate Approves Macron’s Pension Reform Plan Despite Protests
By The French Senate voted to raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 on Thursday, in a victory for President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plans despite continued protests and strikes across the country.
At nearly midnight, 201 senators voted in favor of article 7 of the reform legislation while 115 voted against it.[0] Macron's government is facing a midnight Sunday deadline to finalise the legislation and the remaining articles are expected to be approved later this week.[1]
The move has been met with strong opposition from labour unions and nationwide strikes, and Macron expressed his wish that all the articles of the reform can be discussed and approved before the Sunday deadline.[2] After the articles are finalized, the proposal will be sent to a mediation committee comprising lawmakers from the Senate and the National Assembly.[1]
The pension reform plan has sparked massive protests in France, with over 3.5 million people taking to the streets to demonstrate against it.[2] The reforms are aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the French pension system, but are seen by many as unfair and too draconian.
Despite the vocal opposition, the Senate approved the bill to raise the retirement age, giving Macron his first mini-victory in the ongoing saga. It remains to be seen whether the government will ultimately succeed in pushing through its reforms.
0. “French Senate votes to raise retirement age to 64 as strikes continue” La Prensa Latina, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.laprensalatina.com/french-senate-votes-to-raise-retirement-age-to-64-as-strikes-continue/
1. “‘Mini-victory' for Macron as French Senate vote approves raising retirement age to 64” msnNOW, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/oscars/mini-victory-for-macron-as-french-senate-approves-raising-retirement-age-to-64/ar-AA18owwz
2. “The French Senate Increases the Retirement Age to 64 Years” teleSUR English, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/The-French-Senate-Increases-the-Retirement-Age-to-64-Years-20230309-0004.html
