Amidst the growing backlash, French President Emmanuel Macron is facing a potential no-confidence vote over his decision to pass a controversial pension bill without a parliamentary vote. The bill increases the minimum retirement age from two years to 64, a measure Macron has argued is necessary to sustain the country's generous pension system. In response to the bill, nationwide protests have been held in cities such as Paris, Nantes, Toulouse, Marseille and Lyon, resulting in clashes with the police, with over 300 people detained. Macron has invoked Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the executive to force bills through without a vote, and has been used at least 88 times by different governments.
Macron's pension reform is intended to provide a decent retirement for aging citizens without draining resources from younger generations, a problem that other countries face, including the United States. With the UN projecting that by 2050 the number of people aged 65 or older will double worldwide, Macron's proposed reforms are necessary to meet these demographic shifts. However, forcing necessary reforms to the old-age benefit programs in democratic societies has often proved difficult.
As a result of the growing opposition, lawmakers have filed requests for a No-confidence vote next week, which could potentially bring down the government headed by Macron-appointed Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne. Unions are also planning a new round of nationwide mobilization next Thursday and the outcome of the vote could significantly dent Macron's authority. Although analysts do not believe the no-confidence vote will pass due to the fragmented opposition among the left-wing, far-right and center-right parties, the situation remains highly unpredictable.