The stammering, the fatigue could be read on the pale faces at the National Assembly on the evening of Friday, February 17. For hours, the hemicycle is overheated. The tackles fuse especially in the direction of La France insoumise which refuses to withdraw its last hundreds of amendments before article 7, on the postponement of the legal age to 64 years. Renaissance MP Nadia Hai loses her temper: “It is because of you that we have not been able to have an informed debate, she says, We have not been able to enlighten the French on what is in this reform and what is not. You are responsible. You stole the debate from the French.”
The majority, the RN, the Republicans, the group Libertés, Indépendants, Outre-mer et Territoires (Liot), the deputies attack one after the other the rebellious: “Stop polluting this House”, “The image we have left is deplorable, you want to stay in mediocrity”, “You were ridiculous, you are tartuffes”, “We give a terrible image of democracy”.
“I have the right to express myself, I have the right to table amendments and you have no right to call me a bazaar of the Republic!”
Caroline Fiat, MP LFIto the National Assembly
The tension rises to the climax at the end of the session. Olivier Dussopt, the Minister of Labour, takes the microphone one last time, very annoyed: “Ladies and gentlemen the rebellious, you insulted me for two weeks, no one cracked and we are here in front of you for the reform!”, minister yells. The evening ends with the rejection of the RN’s motion of censure and the anger of the Prime Minister, who has come to defend the government. Elisabeth Borne denounces the “two populisms” of LFI and RN, “two faces of contempt for democracy”.
The text sent to the Senate
Reform takes two paths. It will be denounced in the street by the left, which intends to use the week of parliamentary break to mobilize with public meetings and a call to block the country on March 7 as the unions wish.
The reform is also transmitted to the Senate in its initial version but with the amendments which have obtained the approval of the government. After its examination in committee, the senators will debate it in session on March 2 in a climate certainly more peaceful than in the National Assembly. They too will only have two weeks, but will be able, unlike the deputies, to sit on weekends. It will then be necessary to have a joint joint commission and that senators and deputies agree on the same version. If necessary, the text will be re-examined in both chambers with the possibility that the government draws this time, a new 49-3.