Show your confidence. After a meeting with the inter-union that concluded this Wednesday morning in Matignon, Emmanuel Macron does not want to back down on the pension reform.
“If the people did not want 64-year-olds, it was not the president who had to take the lead in the first round,” the head of state’s entourage told BFMTV.
Unions denounce “a democratic crisis”
From China, where the president wants to relaunch the dialogue between the European Union and Beijing, the Executive closely follows the political situation. Elisabeth Borne has been experiencing great difficulties since she appealed to 49.3 in mid-March to have the pension reform approved without a vote. In an attempt to regain control, the Prime Minister has launched a series of consultations with parliamentary groups and trade unions.
But, after barely 55 minutes of exchange, while Matignon had blocked a three-hour slot, the center-backs slammed the meeting, at the initiative of Laurent Berger, the head of the CFDT.
“The social crisis is turning into a democratic crisis,” lamented the trade unionist.
Do not make “an opinion-based decision”
If the French continue to massively oppose the pension reform, the Executive is now betting on the decision of the Constitutional Council on April 14 to get out of the crisis.
“If the role of the President of the Republic is to make a decision based on public opinion, there is no need to hold a presidential election,” said the entourage of the Head of State.
Elisabeth Borne tried for her part to smooth things over with the inter-union which described the meeting as a “failure”. She hailed “a respectful exchange where everyone was able to express themselves and hear each other” while acknowledging “a disagreement about age.”
“I do not plan to move forward without the social partners,” the Prime Minister said again. The unions call for an eleventh day of mobilization this Thursday.
Source: BFM TV
