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French President Emmanuel Macron’s government faced two no-confidence motions in the National Assembly on Monday after it passed the lower house to push through an unpopular overhaul of the pension system that would increase the retirement age.
Violent riots have erupted in several cities including the capital, Paris, and unions have vowed to expand the strike movement, making Macron face the most dangerous challenge to his authority.
“This is not a failure, this is a total train wreck,” Laurent Berger, head of the moderate CFDT trade union, told Liberation newspaper.
The vote of no confidence seems inevitable, but the results can be tight. A successful vote of no confidence would have brought down the government and killed the legislation, which would have raised the retirement age by two years to 64.
No movement has succeeded since 1962.
The Senate, dominated by conservatives who support the pension plan, passed the legislation last week.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Sunday called the vote “a moment of truth” for the government.
Les Republicains is the party to watch
To bring down the government, Macron’s opponents need the support of a majority of 577 members of parliament, in an alliance that should extend from the left to the far right.
A senior official from the conservative Les Republicains (LR) party said it would not follow the no-confidence motion. But there were rebels among their ranks.
One of them, Aurelien Pradie, who was removed from his position as the party’s number 2 because of his opposition to the pension law, said that about 15 LR MPs were ready to support the tripartisan movement.
WATCH | Violent protests continue after pension plan advances in legislature:
Crowds were seen cheering as French President Emmanuel Macron was thrown under fire, as police in full tactical gear fired tear gas and set up a wall of riot shields to hold back the masses of protesters.
Le Monde calculated that at least 26 LR MPs would need to support the motion for it to succeed.
Although the motion failed, Macron’s failure to find enough support in parliament to overhaul the pension system to vote has undermined his reformist agenda and undermined his leadership, observers said.
“The government will remain in place, although it will be weakened, while social protests against the reforms will continue for several weeks, which could affect the French economy,” Barclays said in a brief note.
Weeks of strikes
An Elabe opinion poll showed two-thirds of French people want the government to fall, underscoring the public perception challenge facing Macron.
Other surveys show his popularity has fallen to its lowest since the 2018-2019 Yellow Vest uprising, an uprising that began as a grassroots protest movement against higher diesel taxes but turned into a broader anti-Macron revolt.
“This is perhaps the last democratic moment for the Assembly to make the government think twice,” said Frederic, a Parisian who preferred not to give his last name.
The strike at the refinery entered its 13th day. Production at the refinery in Normandy and Feyzin has been reduced as the blockade on shipments leaves storage tanks near full.
Garbage in Paris increased and reeked of rotting food on the 15th day of the collectors’ strike.
If the vote of no confidence achieves a majority, a new cabinet will be appointed. Macron can retain Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne or replace her; no other names have been floated.
Borne has faced the wrath of the opposition and had to defend himself Monday before MPs.
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