Four questions on the bill to repeal the pension reform, tabled by La France insoumise

The leader of the LFI deputies, Mathilde Panot, assures that there is “a majority” in the National Assembly to return to retirement at 64.

The deputies of La France Insoumise filed, on Tuesday July 23, “a bill aimed at abolishing retirement at 64.“announced the parliamentary group on X. “There is a majority to beat” this reform, assured Mathilde Panot, president of the group, on France Inter. Franceinfo returns in four questions to this initiative, promised by the New Popular Front during the recent legislative campaign.

What does this proposed law consist of?

In the explanatory statement for this proposed law, the left-wing elected representatives justify their approach by invoking “the choice of forcing through” of the government of Elisabeth Borne, which had used article 49.3 of the Constitution to adopt the text without a vote by the deputies. The representatives of the NFP also denounce a law which “confirms a worsening of inequalities” and which “The working classes are the first victims.”

Article 1 of the proposed law “repeals the postponement of the legal retirement age to 64” as well as “the acceleration of the increase in the contribution period to 172 quarters”. The following four articles provide: “financing and pledges”.

Will it necessarily be examined in the Assembly?

Article 40 of the Constitution limits the power of initiative of parliamentarians in financial matters. “It prohibits any creation or increase of a public charge and authorizes the reduction of a public resource only to the extent that this is offset by the increase of another resource.”

However, Article 89 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly gives power to the office of the Assembly to assess the admissibility of a bill. However, 12 of its 22 members are affiliated with the New Popular Front, which therefore has an absolute majority and could validate this proposal to repeal retirement at 64.

Questioned on Tuesday on franceinfo, the rebellious deputy and president of the Finance Committee, Eric Coquerel also believes that since the office of the National Assembly is no longer favourable to its president, Yaël Braun-Pivet, the latter will no longer be able to “impose the choice of article 40” of the Constitution, as it had done during the previous legislature to block any proposal reversing the reform. For Eric Coquerel, the text repealing the pension reform is not, moreover, “not contrary to Article 40”.

With what majority could it be adopted in the National Assembly?

“There is a majority in the Assembly to repeal [la réforme], I’ll bet my life on it”assured Eric Coquerel. In addition to the 193 deputies of the New Popular Front, the 126 deputies of the National Rally and related parties should also vote for this text, as was made known on BFMTV Laurent Jacobelli. “It was in our program”said the RN MP. “This bill will not pass without the votes of the National Rally, this project will pass thanks to us”he insisted.

If all 319 MPs voted in favour of this bill, it would be adopted. 289 votes are needed to reach an absolute majority.

Asked on France Inter about possible support from the National Rally, Mathilde Panot responded that the RN deputies “will do what they want”. “I say it today, including with deputies from the right or from Liot, and the 193 deputies of the New Popular Front, we have the majority to repeal this pension reform”.

When could it be examined?

Since the National Assembly has suspended its work, this text will not be debated for several weeks, or even months. The agenda of the National Assembly is set by the conference of group presidents, but the next meeting of this body is not expected before September.

However, if the New Popular Front enters government by then, it will be able to submit a bill to this effect. In this case, “Everyone will take responsibility for knowing whether or not they want to bring down a government on the issue of repealing retirement at 64”declared Mathilde Panot on France Inter. In fact, an NFP government, without an absolute majority, would risk quickly running into a motion of censure in the National Assembly.