Pension reform: Olivier DUSSOPT does not exclude a dissolution of assembly in event of a censorship motion

He was charged by Elisabeth Borne to drive “from next week” negotiations with employers and union organizations, as well as with parliamentary groups.

Le Monde with AFP

Olivier Dussopt, Asked about LCI Thursday, September 29 , did not exclude that Emmanuel Macron decides to dissolve the National Assembly in the event of voting on a censure motion against the government about the pension reform. “If all the oppositions were in line to adopt a motion of censorship and bring down the government, he [the President of the Republic] would rely on the French and the French would decide, and would say what is the new majority they want” , said the Minister of Labor.

This reform – which provides in particular to postpone the retirement age, to lead to 65 years in 2031 – is the most explosive file of the political school year and the beginning of the second five -year term of Emmanuel Macron. The subject was also invited in the call of the CGT, the FSU and Solidaires to an interprofessional mobilization this Thursday, which was initially focused on purchasing power.

The executive has decided to delay on the issue, by opening a new cycle of consultations with social partners and political forces with a view to adopting a global bill “before the end of winter”, Announced Elisabeth Borne on Thursday at the France-Presse agency (AFP). There will therefore be no “forceful passage” on this subject, as was dreaded within the majority. 2>

Application provided for in the summer of 2023

At the end of a dinner at the Elysée around Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday evening, bringing together the executives of the majority, prevailed “the choice of dialogue and consultation,” said the Prime Minister, in Cetailing a relatively flexible calendar, but also clinging to the presidential promise of an application of the reform in the summer of 2023. The government’s heading wishes to present “an assessment” of these discussions with the social partners and political forces “before Christmas” , leaving almost three months to talks.

In this perspective, M borne asked Olivier Dussopt “to hire negotiations with employers and union organizations next week, as well as with” parliamentary groups “. As such, the Declaration of the Minister of Labor on LCI can aim to ensure the support of the right, because the Les Républicains party, in the event of the dissolution of the Assembly, would risk losing seats.

M me borne also said a little more about the envisaged method, without definitively slicing. “We favor the registration of this reform in a bill,” she said. The method has been debated for weeks: is it necessary a simple amendment to the social security financing bill (PLFSS) examined in October at the Assembly, the most controversial track and which had robbed the MoDem ally? A passage by a PLFSS Corrective in January? Or an ad hoc bill? This last option therefore seems to be privileged at this stage, provided that you manage to open consultations, while unions and a large part of the oppositions are standing against the very bottom of this reform.

room for maneuver

A dedicated bill presents a size risk for the executive, which has only a majority relating to the assembly. He could force him to resort to article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the adoption of a text without a vote except motion of censorship, but this lever is only usable once by parliamentary session.

It is however possible to fire at will with this weapon on the budgetary texts, which are the PLFSS. In other words, resorting to 49.3 to pass the pension reform in a PLFSS would not prevent the government from resorting to this article again to pass another bill later in the parliamentary session. This option therefore presents, for the executive, the advantage of preserving its room for maneuver in the particularly constrained context of its majority relating to the assembly.

/Media reports.