PM Borne To Push Through Pension Reform w/Art. 49.3, No Assembly Vote

A number of French outlets reporting that Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is set to use Article 49.3 of the French constitution to push through President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reforms. This will negate the requirement for a vote in the National Assembly, implying that the gov't was not sure that it could get a majority of lawmakers to vote in the plans' favour.

• The use of Art. 49.3 sees the Cabinet approve the plans without the requirement for passage in parliament (the Senate approved the plans earlier today, but it appears the gov't was set to fall short in the National Assembly). The opposition will now have the opportunity to put forward a motion of no confidence in the gov't within the next 24 hours. If this passes the gov't falls and the legislation is defeated.
• The gov't has used Art. 49.3 numerous times in the past year since Macron's centrist bloc lost its majority in the National Assembly, but using the measure for such controversial reforms risks a major backlash.
• The use of a measure criticised by opponents as anti-democratic could see an intensification in the already widespread industrial action taking place across French industry and the public sector. See our earlier note for more detail:

MNI POLITICAL RISK – French Pension Reform Vote On A Knife-Edge.pdf