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Since this Saturday, April 15, the Journal Officiel (Official Gazette) has published the law, which promulgates the changes championed by the government of Emmanuel Macron, after receiving ‘carte blanche’ from the French Constitutional Council, after months of union protests in the streets and discussions in the National Assembly. It will enter into force from September. Macron hopes to turn the page, the unions call for mobilization.
The pension reform, questioned in the streets by the unions and the opposition parties, was validated by the French Constitutional Council. The essence of the reform: the retirement age and the changes in the retirement regimes are maintained.
The French president had 15 days to promulgate it as of yesterday, but with his decision to do so first thing in the morning on Saturday, April 15, he seems to be closing the door to a rapprochement with the unions and parties opposed to his government.
Une loi promulgée en pleine nuit,
as des voleurs.
Des voleurs de vie
The 1st May 2023: everyone on the street. #Conseil_Constitutionnel #ReformDesRetaites
— Fabien Roussel (@Fabien_Roussel) April 15, 2023
Fabien Roussel, leader of the French communist party, criticizes the promulgation of the law by the French government. “A law promulgated in the middle of the night, like thieves. The thieves of life. The first of May: everyone to the streets” read this tweet.
The promulgation of the law would put an end to the political discussion for the moment. However, the parties make calls to maintain the mobilizations, “an unfair and useless law” according to the left-wing party France Insumisa.
Criticism of the “expedited” enactment
Opposition parties and union leaders criticized the promulgation made by President Macron in the early hours of this Saturday. From the left, the leader of France Unsubmissive, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, described the French president, from his Twitter account, as a “thief of life”, in reference to the increase in the retirement age, which would go from 62 to 64 years .
For her part, Mathilde Panot, deputy from France Unsubmissive, stressed that the law “is unfair and useless” and invited support for the mobilizations.
Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party, also expressed his dissatisfaction, referring to the speed with which the government enacted the law. “A law promulgated in the middle of the night. Like thieves, life thieves,” he said on his official Twitter account.
😡 This promulgation at night,
More than provocation!
Nouvelle fanfaronnade d’Emmanuel Macron, alors que le pays n’a jamais été autant fractured.
C’était vraiment le moment…
Tout en disant vouloir apaiser : de qui se moque-t’il ?#enactment
— Marine Tondelier (@marinetondelier) April 15, 2023
The secretary of Europe Ecology Los Verdes, also expressed her rejection of the promulgation at dawn.
Jérôme Guedj, deputy from the Socialist Party, criticized the “lack of communication between the Executive and parliamentarians” and pointed out through his Twitter account that the government knew that “several articles would have no place in the reform.”
From the other side of the political spectrum, Jordan Bardella, president of Agrupación Nacional, pointed out that the people “have the final word.” However, both Bardella and Marine Le Pen have not referred to the promulgation.
Macron hopes to ‘turn the page’ and ‘stay the course’
The French president’s proposal to meet with unions next Tuesday seems to have to be postponed.
On Monday Macron will have a speech. The unions ruled out going to the Executive’s call and called for “an exceptional mobilization day” on International Workers’ Day, next May 1.
For her part, Sophie Binet, secretary of the CGT, called for a “popular tsunami” on May 1st. Likewise, Laurent Escure, a trade unionist, pointed out “the arsonist tendency” of the French Government, after the promulgation of the pension reform law.
The CGT rejected the promulgation and called for mobilizationFor now, this April 20 and next April 28.
The social movement created since January against the pension reform is one of the largest in France in the last two decades. On March 7, he managed to convene approximately between 1.2 and 3.5 million people, according to data provided by the Police and the SGT union, respectively.
The Executive for his part, expressed this Friday from the restoration works of Notre-Dame, that “stay the course, that is my motto.” Which makes it possible to understand that there will be no going back reform.
WITH AFP, EFE and local media.
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