Prisca Thevenot described the National Rally’s proposal to repeal the pension reform as “the end of a hoax,” highlighting its rejection in Parliament. She criticized the party for lacking seriousness and competence in their approach, asserting that they failed to address funding issues. Regarding the Universal National Service (SNU), she stated that while the government does not intend to abolish it, current finances don’t permit its expansion. Thevenot expressed her desire for the SNU’s generalization despite financial constraints.
‘The end of a hoax’—this is how Prisca Thevenot described the National Rally’s proposal to repeal the pension reform during a parliamentary session on ‘Bonjour ! La matinale de TF1,’ hosted by Adrien Gindre. The proposal was ultimately rejected, with the far-right group deferring the matter ‘to the next elections.’
‘I’m not sure if we should see this as a victory, but more as the conclusion of a hoax. The National Rally was fully aware that their push to repeal the pension reform would only result in a rather sad spectacle because they knew it wouldn’t pass. It wouldn’t pass politically, as they didn’t manage to gather a majority of deputies to support this repeal, and it wouldn’t pass financially’, emphasized the Ensemble for the Republic deputy from Hauts-de-Seine on Friday, November 1st.
‘It’s not serious. It lacks competence’
When asked whether all RN deputies had now become pariahs following this failure, Thevenot noted that one shouldn’t see things in ‘black and white.’ ‘But look at the facts! I could explain at length why I don’t align with the National Rally’s proposals and why I’ll always fight against the far-right. However, when we look at the substance, they inadvertently validate our position’, she remarked.
‘Regarding the repeal of the pension reform, we told them it wasn’t just about putting a title on a blank page but about addressing the core issues. If you want to repeal the pension reform, you have to acknowledge that there’s a funding problem. What do they do? They draft the law but fail to explain how they will fund it otherwise. It’s not serious. It lacks competence, coherence, and, importantly, honesty!’, she further criticized.
‘I wish for the generalization of the SNU’
On the topic of eliminating the Universal National Service (SNU) in Parliament, initiated by Emmanuel Macron, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon clarified that the government did not intend to abolish the service but acknowledged that the current financial situation didn’t allow for the planned generalization by 2026. In response to her predecessor’s comments, Prisca Thevenot stated that there ‘can be no middle ground.’ ‘We either move toward generalization or we stop. And I want to be very clear about that’, she insisted.
‘Today, we face a reality: a part, if not the entirety, of the youth is struggling to come together and build cohesion. We also have the responsibility to instill a national dimension for future generations’, she added.
Does the deputy believe the SNU should be terminated immediately? ‘No’, she replied. ‘I can tell you that there are areas where we need to save and others where we need to invest’, she stated, before expressing her ‘desire’ for the generalization of the SNU.