A proposal to repeal the retirement reform law was introduced in the National Assembly by the “insurgent” deputies on Tuesday, July 23rd. Mathilde Panot, the president of the La France Insoumise (LFI) group, stated that each deputy would have to decide whether they want to bring down the government over the issue of repealing retirement at age 64. She reached out to all deputies who had previously voted against the reform in the previous legislature, expressing confidence that there would be a larger majority now to defeat the retirement at age 64 law. The retirement reform was passed by a narrow majority in April 2023, despite months of protests against it.
Eric Coquerel, a member of LFI who was recently reelected as president of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, believes that repealing the retirement reform is a real possibility. He stated that there is now a majority in the Assembly to repeal the law, whether it happens through a proposal by the hypothetical New Popular Front government in September or through a legislative proposal. The reaction from the National Rally (RN) deputies was strong, with accusations of deceit and criticism that the Insoumis had promised immediate repeal of the reform through a decree before the holidays, only to propose a lengthy legislative process instead.
Julien Odoul, an RN deputy from Yonne, implied that the ultimate decision on repealing the retirement reform lies with the RN deputies, emphasizing that their votes will be crucial. Laurent Jacobelli, another RN deputy, stated that the proposal would not pass without the RN’s support, pointing out that the measure is aligned with their party’s program and that they would vote in favor. Denis Masséglia and Mathieu Lefèvre, deputies from the presidential coalition, criticized the idea of repealing the retirement reform without offering alternative funding sources. They argued that this could lead to higher taxes for the middle class, reduced pensions for retirees, and economic issues for businesses.
The proposal for repealing the retirement reform has sparked debate and divisions among the different political parties in the National Assembly. While the Insoumis are pushing for its repeal and expressing confidence in a new majority, the RN is emphasizing the need for their support to pass the proposal and criticizing the delay in implementing the repeal. The deputies from the presidential coalition have raised concerns about the economic consequences of repealing the retirement reform without adequate funding solutions. The future of the repeal proposal remains uncertain, with the possibility of a legislative battle looming as different factions in the National Assembly stand their ground on this controversial issue.
