A little grimace soup is served this Wednesday morning in one of the Bercy salons. A few majority MPs, most of whom were elected for the first time in June 2022, are invited to breakfast with the Minister Delegate for Industry Roland Lescure. These days, when day breaks after long evenings spent in the hemicycle examining the pension reform in a continuous heckling, parliamentarians rarely have a fresh complexion. But today, some have, as a bonus, the head of the aftermath of defeat. A few hours of sleep earlier, the presidential camp and the government suffered a first major setback: the National Assembly rejected article 2 of the “mother of reforms” which aimed to create a “senior index” in the companies; 256 votes against, 203 votes for… Despite the great gestures of the president of the Renaissance group Aurore Bergé to get her troops to vote, or the nice sprint made by her colleague Ludovic Mendes to press the button before the close of the ballot (too late… ), nothing helped: it’s also a nice beating.
In front of their pastries, their tea or their coffee, the elected representatives of the majority evoke several reasons for irritation, in particular the absence in session of about fifty of their comrades to make the number facing the votes of the Nupes and the National Rally. “Some complained right after against those who were not there, but we counted it down, even if we were full, it would not have been enough to win,” says a Macronist deputy elected since 2017. And for good reason: Most Republicans also opposed Article 2, tipping the balance sharply. Satanés LR, not grateful for a penny, while the very afternoon Elisabeth Borne offered them a new concession on long careers… “It was not surprising given the way the afternoon went: they wanted to show that they supported, but not too much, by using the lowering of the gauge to 50 employees in the company [NDLR : pour se voir imposer l’index] to justify their vote against”, explains a minister who follows the file closely.
Everything indicates that the right has offered itself a “Nutella moment”. These little moments of happiness that cost nothing. The Republicans certainly castigate the senior index, a “thing” without effect on the employment of the over 50s. But the blow to the government is very political. The decision to vote against Article 2 was taken in a group meeting on Tuesday. The boss of the LR deputies Olivier Marleix advocated abstention, but bowed to the will of his peers. “We felt a real desire to become the government, so we went there”, explains a relative. 38 Republican deputies voted against this measure, six abstained.
“I love you, neither do I.” This vote illustrates the curious partnership forged between the management of LR and the government. Eric Ciotti dubs the pension reform, but takes care to reaffirm his status as an opponent of Emmanuel Macron. This balancing act involves shooting a few blanks. Useful, while the negotiation continues on the extension of the device of the long careers. “It’s a small reminder cartridge on an unconstitutional article that is useless, smiles a pro-reform LR deputy. Without us, the government will not succeed.” LR, this rebellious partner of Elisabeth Borne…
“It’s a symbolic defeat, but it has no impact”
The rejection of section 2 also has an internal purpose. Some of the LR deputies still refuse to endorse the government copy. Some fear giving a political victory to Emmanuel Macron, an unpopular president in their constituencies. This almost unanimous vote, supported by Olivier Marleix and Eric Ciotti, allows the management of the group to calm the troops. “We must affirm our convictions in both directions”, supports a deputy. Small pleasure is fleeting.
To believe that the government and its troops, at least a part, had anticipated it, to the point of not holding it against them. Just after the vote on Tuesday evening, the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt posted this message on Twitter: “Tonight, the whole left and the FN are celebrating the fact of removing from the pension reform project the article which creates an index of the employment of seniors. United to remove a new tool in favor of the employment of older people. #Tartuffe.” Not a word about Les Républicains who, all the same, hold the key to all the polls. No way to stop cajoling them for so little…
To believe, even, that losing this little battle on an article far from being essential was a necessary step to allow this political lover, to keep absolutely, to feel powerful. Have fun at a lower cost. “You should be in politics,” quipped a prominent member of the government by way of validation. “It’s a symbolic defeat, but it has no impact, confides another minister. There is a fairly widespread feeling that all this is not much use.” Still, the right will soon have to make its choices. On the occasion of a hypothetical vote on article 7 postponing the age of departure or during the final vote of the text in the National Assembly in March. The shots will then be with real ammunition.