This is the first major setback for the government and the presidential majority in the review of pension reform. The National Assembly rejected Tuesday, February 13, article 2 of the reform project which provides for the creation of a “senior index” in companies, to improve the employment of older employees, but perceived as inefficient.
This article 2, which was debated for three days, was rejected in the evening by 256 votes against 203, and 8 abstentions. Of the 44 LR deputies present, 38 voted against and 6 abstained. Within the majority, two Horizons deputies abstained: Thierry Benoit and Yannick Favennec-Bécot. The 4 deputies of the Liot group present in the hemicycle also voted against. Unsurprisingly, the Nupes and the RN spoke out against this index. As BFMTV points out, 30 Renaissance deputies were absent at the time of the vote.
Against the backdrop of bitter debates relating to another subject, the question of a minimum pension of around 1,200 euros for a full career and questions about the number of people who would be affected by such a measure, the atmosphere was still tense in the hemicycle on the 6th sitting day. At the end of the vote, the Nupes welcomed this result with cheers and songs. For a few seconds, several opposition deputies sang the song “We are here, we are here…”, widely associated with the movement of yellow vests. The attitude was deemed unacceptable by the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet.
“Tonight, the whole left and the FN are celebrating the fact of removing” this “senior index”, lamented the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt, who called them “Tartuffe”, while the Renaissance group sent a “red card” to the entire opposition. The government wishes to make it compulsory from November 2023 for companies with more than 1,000 employees, for those with more than 300 employees from July 2024, and those with more than 50 employees from July 2025, this last threshold having been added by amendments from all benches. Employers must be liable to financial penalties in the event of non-publication of this index, but no obligation of result has been set in terms of employment of seniors.
The gesture of the majority towards LR on long careers
This defeat for the presidential camp was looming due to the defection of the right, whose votes are necessary for the macronists to reach an absolute majority. The Republicans consider that the index is “unsuited to the realities of SMEs” and that it will “not improve the employment rate of seniors”. They argued for business incentives.
LR deputies consider that the index is “unsuited to the realities of SMEs” and that it will “not improve the employment rate of seniors”. They argued for business incentives. “We didn’t like the ‘senior index’. We also wanted to let off steam on a non-central article,” said an LR executive interviewed by Playbook, adding that the decision to vote against had been taken in a group meeting on Tuesday morning. . MP LR Aurélien Pradié had for his part pointed out the risk of “unconstitutionality” of the index, a legislative “rider” which, according to him, has no place in a budgetary text, like the one chosen by the government to pass its pension reform.
However, the government has been negotiating with Les Républicains for several weeks. In a new gesture addressed to the right, Elisabeth Borne announced in the afternoon concessions on long careers. Employees of the long career scheme, i.e. those who started working before the age of 21, will in fact not have to contribute more than 43 years of age to retire once they have reached the retirement age. early departure required.
“As soon as the early retirement age is reached, the reform does not provide, for long careers, for a contribution period of more than 43 years”, affirmed the Prime Minister during the session of questions to the government, in answer to the deputy Les Républicains Véronique Louwagie. In the initial project, some employees with a long career had to contribute for 44 years, in particular those who started working between the ages of 16 and 18.
The “senior index” back during the parliamentary shuttle?
The “seniors index” could however possibly be reintroduced in the continuation of the parliamentary shuttle. The examination of the continuation of the pension reform will resume at 3 p.m. this Wednesday, February 15. So far, 605 amendments have been discussed, 42 have been adopted and 427 rejected, while 1638 have been withdrawn.
There are still 14,244 amendments to be discussed before Friday, February 17, at midnight. Debates in the Assembly must therefore end no later than this date. If the text is not voted on, it will still go to the Senate.
The pension reform will arrive in the Senate on February 28 in committee and on March 2 in public session, as Public Senate recalls. According to article 47 paragraph 1 of the Constitution, the Senate has 15 days to decide. Then, around March 13, deputies and senators will try to agree in a joint joint committee bringing together 7 deputies and 7 senators. If there is agreement, it must be validated by both chambers. Otherwise the text will make a last shuttle and the Assembly will have the last word. Parliament has until March 26 to decide on the pension reform. “The senior index” has not yet said its last word.