The Prime Minister receives them accompanied by the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt, who is also leading discussions with the trade unions and employers’ organisations, and the Minister for Relations with Parliament Franck Riester.
These meetings take place in a tense context, a few days before a “march against the high cost of living and climate inaction” which also aims to denounce the reforms of unemployment insurance and pensions, organized in particular by the parties of left, before a week of action by the CGT, already maneuvering in blocking fuel depots.
Ms. Borne was able to take the pulse of parliamentarians on the subject when she received them at the end of September to scan the texts of the parliamentary session.
They had then been many to oppose the passage of this reform by way of amendment to the social security financing bill (PLFSS), including the ally of the MoDem.
Without deciding on the legislative vehicle, the executive finally agreed, during a dinner at the Elysée, to temporize by reopening a cycle of consultations for the adoption of a text “before the end of winter”.
– “LR can vote for” –
This victory of the boss of the MoDem François Bayrou, who had warned against any “forced passage”, is also that of Elisabeth Borne who, deprived of an absolute majority in the Assembly, has defended since her appointment a method based on dialogue and compromise.
But President Emmanuel Macron had also brandished the threat of a dissolution of the National Assembly, in the event of the adoption of a motion of censure against the government, as if to put pressure on LR opponents.
Elisabeth Borne, who intends to take stock of the discussions “before Christmas” finds in front of her parliamentarians who are either frontally opposed to the reform (LFI, RN), or contest certain modalities (LR).
The leader of the LR deputies Olivier Marleix said he was in favor of extending the working time “gradually up to 64 years”, when the government wants a “progressive postponement of the starting age of 4 months per year , culminating in age 65 in 2031″.
“LR can vote for. Pécresse had criticized Macron for having stolen his program on the subject, it will be difficult to oppose it”, estimates a Horizons parliamentarian.
Beyond the oppositions, the majority will have to tune their violins.
After François Bayrou on form, Edouard Philippe, holding the right wing of the majority, made his difference heard on the substance of the reform, urging the executive to “move a lot” on the starting age to go up to 67 years old.
It is not about the “project that we are carrying”, replied the leader of the Renaissance deputies Aurore Bergé, while the president of the party Stéphane Séjourné invited him not to diverge too much. Edouard Philippe is part of the majority (…) We must have consistency in our action and in what we say”, he said.
Pensions could also be discussed Thursday morning at the Elysée: Emmanuel Macron receives the deputies of the majority of the Social Affairs Committee and the group leaders to discuss the PLFSS.
Still, the consultations on this reform, already initiated during the first five-year term before being interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, “will not change the face of the world”, estimates a minister.
“Nobody has changed their minds and nobody will change their minds in January on the merits,” abounds a majority executive. “Everything has been said, written on pensions”.
Olivier Dussopt opened the talks by receiving the social partners on October 6, to whom he proposed three cycles of bilateral meetings, which will begin with the consensual theme of “employment of seniors and professional wear and tear”, followed by ” equity and social justice”.
The most difficult is yet to come with a third round on “the balance of the pension system”, ie its financing and a possible increase in the legal age or the contribution period.
