A new strategy to push through pension reform. Definitely, this text will have caused a lot of ink to flow. A key topic during the presidential campaign, retirement is also one of the main points of disagreement between the parties sitting in the National Assembly.
The majority of Emmanuel Macron’s parliamentary group being relative, several avenues have been considered so that this reform can be implemented without difficulty. Indeed, the minister responsible for relations with Parliament, Franck Riester, confirmed a few days ago at the microphone of Radio J that an amendment to the social security financing bill remained a “credible hypothesis”. To date, an “ad hoc project” also remains a means of approaching this reform.
The entourage of the President of the Republic told BFMTV that a third “serious” track would also be considered by the Head of State. This would take the form of a PLFRSS, an amending Social Security financing bill.
This would have several advantages. This method would make it possible in particular to postpone the reform and therefore to give a smoother image to the president. “If he does it now, we will accuse him of brutality”, specifies a minister to our colleagues.
Moreover, as it would be a financial text, this way would also have the advantage of reducing the duration of the debates in the National Assembly, and therefore of reducing the obstruction of the oppositions. Finally, the PLFRSS could also appeal to members of the MoDem, and in particular François Bayrou, opposed to the forced passage of the reform in the fall.
If this path is adopted, the pension reform would be postponed to 2023 and this would oppose the will of Emmanuel Macron, who seemed more seduced by an amendment in the fall and a final adoption before Christmas. The Head of State would thus appear less firm in delaying this reform.
The PLFRSS also poses another difficulty, technical this time. The budgetary texts cannot integrate the abolition of the special regimes and this part of the reform would therefore have to be adopted via another legislative medium.
For now, we will have to wait a while before the decision is made. But the choice of the path taken could well be made tonight, when the president brings together ministers and majority leaders to discuss it.
This Wednesday, September 28 Emmanuel Macron will meet with Elisabeth Borne, the leaders of the majority, including François Bayrou, as well as the ministers concerned by the pension reform. Those of the Economy, Labor and Relations with Parliament will thus be present for this dinner which could be decisive.
Indeed, the representatives will discuss the three paths envisaged by the Executive and the decision should be taken. It will however be necessary to be patient before knowing it. The final decision should be made public “by the end of the week”, as promised by Elisabeth Borne, reports FranceInfo.
