The French government has survived two votes of no confidence but Emmanuel Macron continues to face protests and strikes over his decision to use executive powers to push through an unpopular rise in the pension age, reports The Guardian.
Although the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, avoided having to instantly resign, the president remains under pressure to break his silence and shore up the government amid growing anger in the streets. Opposition politicians in parliament accused him of arrogance, denying democracy and failing to learn from the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) anti-government protest movement four years ago.
Government insiders, opposition politicians and observers have raised fears that France could experience another round of spontaneous, anti-government revolt in cities and small towns – not just over raising the pension age to 64, but also because of distrust in the political system, only a few years after the gilets jaunes movement shook Macron’s first term in office.
Some observers said one option for Macron in the coming weeks could be to replace Borne and reshuffle the government to try to reset his image.
The first no-confidence motion, put forward by Charles de Courson, France’s longest-serving MP and a member of the small opposition centrist grouping Liot, was narrowly defeated – it fell short of the required absolute majority by only nine votes. A total of 278 MPs voted in favour.
The motion won the support of politicians from the leftwing grouping, Nupes, as well as Marine Le Pen’s far right, independents and some MPs from the rightwing Les Républicains.
A second no-confidence motion tabled by Le Pen’s party, National Rally, was rejected. After the government won both votes, Macron’s proposed changes to the pension system are likely to swiftly become law.