French President Emanuel Macron faces a critical moment on Monday when the National Assembly is due to vote on no-confidence motions filed after his government bypassed the parliament on Thursday to push through an unpopular rise in the state pension age.
The move, which followed weeks of protests against the pension overhaul, triggered three nights of unrest and demonstrations in Paris and throughout the country, reminiscent of the Yellow Vest protests that erupted in late 2018 over high fuel prices.
However, while Monday’s votes may put on display anger at Macron’s government, they are unlikely to bring it down.
Opposition lawmakers filed two motions of no-confidence in the parliament on Friday.
Centrist group Liot proposed a multiparty no-confidence motion, which was cosigned by the far-Left Nupes alliance. Hours later, France’s far-Right National Rally party, which has 88 National Assembly members, also filed a no-confidence motion.
But even though Macron’s party lost its absolute majority in the lower House in elections last year, there was little chance the multi-party motion would go through — unless a surprise alliance of lawmakers from all sides is formed, from the far-Left to the far Right.
“I think there will be no majority to bring down the government. But this will be a moment of truth,” finance minister Bruno Le Maire told Le Parisien newspaper, commenting on prospects for Monday’s votes. “Is the pension reform worth bringing down the government and political disorder? The answer is clearly no. Everyone must take his responsibilities,” he added.