The National Rally’s proposal to lower the retirement age to 62 was largely dismantled in committee, facing opposition primarily from the left, which was divided between abstaining and voting against it. Key articles were rejected, and a variety of stances emerged within the New Popular Front. Amidst efforts to avoid total rejection, the left coordinated to regain control of the legislative agenda, aiming for a potential repeal of the pension reform in future sessions.
The proposal from the National Rally to decrease the retirement age to 62 faced significant setbacks in the Assembly committee on Wednesday. The left-wing lawmakers showed a rift, choosing between abstaining and opposing the measure to thwart far-right influence. Key provisions of the bill, backed by deputy Thomas Ménagé, aimed at lowering the legal retirement age to 62 and the required contribution period to 42 years, but were ultimately dismissed by votes from the right, Macronist factions, and parts of the left.
The Challenges for New Popular Front Members
Notably, Ecologist Sandrine Rousseau and Socialist Jérôme Guedj opted to oppose the bill, while most of their fellow party members abstained from voting, as did all members of the LFI in the committee. Only Communist Yannick Monnet cast a vote in favor, although he admitted that his group was internally divided. This variation in positions highlights the challenges faced by the four factions of the New Popular Front. They had campaigned in June on the premise of repealing the pension reform but are hesitant to grant an advantage to the RN.
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Socialist Sandrine Runel firmly stated her disapproval of participating in what she described as a “swindle,” referencing the absence of representatives from the flame party during early 2023 demonstrations. Far-right figure Christophe Bentz attempted to downplay opposition, claiming, “Voting for our text won’t make you radioactive.” To this, ecologist Benjamin Lucas responded sharply, condemning the RN’s proposal as a “legislative one-night stand” lacking a Senate group to support it.
Approval of Several Report Requests
To prevent a total dismissal of the proposal, which would have reset discussions back to the original text, a coalition of left, right, and Macronist members approved various requests for reports regarding pension funding and evaluations of past reforms. This strategy will compel the RN to introduce amendments to revive its repeal proposal, though Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet may find those amendments financially unacceptable. Alternatively, the RN may have to withdraw this pivotal piece from their parliamentary agenda on October 31.
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The left appears to have regained control over the legislative timeline after experiencing a setback on Monday evening when their proposed amendments concerning the Social Security budget, which aimed to cover the costs of potentially reverting to a 62-year retirement age, were blocked—all with support from the RN. Additional amendments addressing the same issues are set for discussion in the committee later this week. The left is predominantly pinning its hopes on a proposed law scheduled for November 28, which is earmarked for LFI legislative initiatives.
This proposal, if successful, could then be taken up by the Communists in the Senate at the end of January, followed by consideration in the Assembly by the ecologists in early February, as highlighted by Mathilde Panot, leader of the LFI deputies.