According to the French Minister of Labour, the law will enter into force in September. Citizens have been protesting against the reform for a long time, and new large-scale demonstrations are now expected in the country.
Anni Huttunen,
Riikka Kajander
The French Constitutional Council has largely supported the president Emmanuel Macron pension reform led by the government. The council has decided to raise the statutory retirement age to 64 and increase the time people have to work to receive a full pension.
In addition, the council has ruled that a referendum will not be held on the widely criticized bill.
Although the reform has largely passed, the Constitutional Council has rejected six parts of the proposal. For example, the intention to demand information from large companies about how many over 55-year-olds are on their payrolls failed in the council.
The decision has led to protests across France. News agency Reuters reports that police used tear gas against protesters in Lyon.
According to Reuters, Macron will sign the bill into law within the next two days. Unions opposing the reform have appealed to the president not to sign the law. They have said they will not return to the negotiating table if the bill is signed.
According to the French Minister of Labour, the law is to enter into force from the beginning of September.
Opponents of the president reacted to the Constitutional Council’s decision immediately.
The far-right National Alliance party Marine Le Pen assure (you switch to another service) on Twitter that the fate of the pension reform is by no means sealed yet. The message is also the same from the other political side, the left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon says the fight will continue regardless of the decision.
Citizens have been protesting and striking in France for weeks against the unpopular pension reform. Both the content of the law and its implementation have received criticism.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Bornen the government pushed through the pension law opposed by the trade unions without a parliamentary vote. The exception procedure was possible thanks to the contested section of the constitution.
The news is updated.