Emmanuel Macron has failed to muster a majority for his reform of the pension system, so last week he upped the ante by using a special clause in the constitution and bypassing parliament. In response, the National Assembly held not just one but two no-confidence votes against Macron’s Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and her government on Monday. The government was able to hang on, but the margin was not very reassuring. And now new mass protests are planned in the French capital.
Accused of acting with authority
The protests now go beyond the controversial pension reform and are also about France’s constitution and the political approach – using the so-called “nuclear bomb clause” as a weapon to push through a controversial change. Undemocratic and authoritarian, say the critics whose voices are gaining strength. At the same time as the crisis deepens at home, France is fighting for several heavy issues in the EU. Ahead of this week’s summit, a potential major row between France and Germany is brewing.
Contributor: Marie Nilsson Boij, correspondent in Paris. Göran von Sydow, political scientist and director of Sieps. Susanne Palme, EU commentator.
Program manager: Caroline Salzinger
Producer: Therese Rosenvinge
Technician: Jacob Gustavsson
Source: ICELAND NEWS