Didn’t have time to read it all? We summarize the political news of the past week.
Pension reform has once again been at the heart of the political news in France this week, while in Ukraine the war continues.
Neither Dissolution Nor Reorganization
Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his support for Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and her government. Tuesday, March 21, the day after the rejection by the National Assembly of the LIOT transpartisan motion of censure, the Head of State affirmed that he was not planning a cabinet reshuffle or the dissolution of the National Assembly or even a referendum. on pension reform, explains Le Parisien. According to the daily, the President of the Republic wishes to “change the method” and put in place “non-legislative measures which can change the daily life of the French”. Incidentally, with the challenge in the viewfinder, Emmanuel Macron assured that the crowd has “no legitimacy” against “the people who express themselves through their elected representatives”.
The next day, during the 1 p.m. television news, he said he was ready to “endorse the unpopularity” of the reform, specifies BFM TV. Moreover, he wants it to be applied “by the end of the year”. To justify the reform and the use of Article 49.3, the Head of State explained: “It is not a luxury, it is not a pleasure, but it is a necessity for the country. There were ten million pensioners when I started working, there are seventeen million today.”
The Constitutional Council Seized
The Constitutional Council has been seized of four appeals on the pension reform. One was filed by Élisabeth Borne, the Prime Minister, the others by Marine Le Pen, for the RN group, the union of the left (LFI, PS, EELV, PC) at the Bourbon palace and the senatorial left (PS , PC, EELV). The nine wise men must ensure that the bill complies with the 1958 Constitution, specifies Ouest-France. Seized on March 20, the Constitutional Council has one month from that date to rule.
“Put on Appeasement”
Elisabeth Borne said on Sunday that she wanted to “calm down” with the unions. The Prime Minister also promised “quickly” “concrete results”, reports Paris Match. Ready to discuss with the social partners other files than that of the pension reform, it ensures to be at their disposal. “We have to find the right path: are these bilateral meetings, an inter-union? We need to calm down. And that we can resume work on all these sites.” Those of hardship, professional retraining, in particular. As for the pension reform, the head of government recalls that it has been adopted. It will “follow its course” up to the Constitutional Council which will give an opinion, at the end of which the President of the Republic “must promulgate the law.”
A Meeting Before a New Day of Strike
The Élysée announced on Sunday March 26 that Emmanuel Macron would meet Élisabeth Borne at lunch on Monday. The Prime Minister must present to the President of the Republic the roadmap for the next consultations that she must carry out. Then, the leaders of the parliamentary groups, the party leaders and members of the presidential majority will join them, writes the JDD. The meeting will be held on the eve of a new day of mobilization against pension reform. The tenth. Like last Thursday, clashes with the police could occu
Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus
Vladimir Putin has announced that Moscow will deploy “tactical” nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, its ally. The Russian president also threatened, on Saturday March 25, to use depleted uranium shells in Ukraine, if kyiv were to receive them from Westerners, notes Le Figaro. The day after this announcement, Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy, warned that the European Union was “ready” to adopt new sanctions against Belarus. “Belarus’ hosting of Russian nuclear weapons would be an irresponsible escalation and a threat to European security. Belarus can still stop this, it’s their choice. The EU stands ready to react with new sanctions,” wrote Josep Borrell on Twitter.
This article is originally published on regardsprotestants.com
