The unpopular pension reform raises the retirement age from 62 to 64.
16:21•Updated 20:13
In France, the government announced that it would push through the raising of the retirement age, which had sparked fierce opposition, without a parliamentary vote.
The unpopular pension reform raises the retirement age from 62 to 64.
The government ended up using a special procedure because it did not get enough support for the unpopular law in the National Assembly, i.e. Parliament.
Prime minister Elisabeth Borne after the announcement, opposition MPs protested and eventually marched out of the hall. Opposition representatives also sang the French national anthem in the hall.
The session was suspended for a moment, but continued in a chaotic manner.
Bypassing the parliament is expected to raise widespread protests in France.
Before the government’s announcement about the use of the exception procedure, the chairman of the Socialists, among others Olivier Faure told the Reuters news agency that bypassing parliament would raise uncontrollable anger in France.
There have been protests in France against raising the pension age for more than two months. Last time yesterday, there were an estimated 800,000 protesters on the streets. Strikes have also been organized against the pension reform.
President Emmanuel Macron and according to the government, it is necessary to raise the retirement age in France. It was a loss of prestige for Macron that he did not get enough support in the parliament for the pension reform.
The majority of French people have opposed raising the retirement age in opinion polls. According to opponents, the reform is unfair and unnecessary.