France’s controversial pension reform has cleared its first parliamentary hurdle. The Senate on Thursday voted 193 to 114 in favor of a bill that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64. The vote in the National Assembly would follow in the afternoon, in which the government camp did not have a majority.
A committee made up of members of the Senate and National Assembly drafted a compromise between the chambers on Wednesday. The reform is considered one of the most important projects of President Emmanuel Macron. Senate approval is considered certain. In the National Assembly, a majority for the project did not seem certain until the very end. The government counts on the votes of the conservative Républicains, but their faction is divided.
The government could, if necessary, use a constitutional clause to push through the reform without a vote; in this case, however, it risks new elections and a major loss of confidence. President Macron consulted with the party leaders of the government camp in the morning.
Lots of protest and lots of anger
On Wednesday, many French people again took to the streets to protest against the pension schemes. According to the Interior Ministry, 480,000 people took part in the demonstrations across the country. Strikes at the railways, oil refineries and garbage collectors continued on Thursday. In Paris, residents and visitors have been complaining for days about mountains of rubbish and a foul stench.
The retirement age in France is currently 62 years. In fact, retirement starts later on average: those who have not paid in long enough to receive a full pension continue to work longer. At age 67 there will then be a pension with no deductions no matter how long it has been paid in – the government wants to keep this even if the number of years it takes to deposit a full pension increases faster than previously planned. She wants to increase the minimum monthly pension to around 1,200 euros. With the reform, the cabinet wants to close the looming gap in the pension fund.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
