The majority in ranks -almost close- behind the government

It’s not just the union front that’s united on pension reform. On Wednesday, the day after the presentation of the text by Elisabeth Borne, the three majority groups (Renaissance, Democratic Movement and Horizon) demonstrated their unity in a press conference in the National Assembly. They were “mobilized and united”, explained Aurore Bergé, president of the Renaissance group (ex-LREM). They are “completely behind the government”, beating out Laurent Marcangeli, president of the Horizon group (the party of former prime minister, Edouard Philippe). In short, be confident.

“I’m not saying it will be easy, but I think it won’t be as hard as they say, predicts a MoDem representative. On the ground, people don’t spontaneously talk to me about pension reform. And when we talk about it, people understand the need for reform. “The trade union front – the first for twelve years – is not concerned beyond that: “Frankly, we met with the CFDT, there are two pieces of smoking paper between us and them”, continues the same thing. “I don’t bet, says, be more careful, Mathieu Lefèvre, RE (Renaissance) representative from Val-de-Marne. We must not prejudice the training capacity of even the weakest trade union centers. »

Not even scared

La Nupes, who promised hell to the government in the National Assembly, didn’t seem to impress anyone either. “We’ll see what France’s tolerance for obstruction of parliament will be,” asked, with a grin, the already quoted MoDem representative. The opposition had “trapped themselves by promising this form of parliamentary guerrilla warfare”, Aurore Bergé assured. Finally, poor reform polls are almost normal: France has no idea what reforms will bring. “I would like to know the state of opinion according to the announcement, I believe it can develop taking into account the search for social justice from the text”, believes Jean-Paul Mattei, deputy leader and MoDem deputy .

In fact, the majority strongly believed that “social progress” reforms could help pass the bill for extending the dues period and lowering the legal age. “The Prime Minister has been able to defuse a number of potential conflicts, such as a minimum pension of 1,200 euros for a full career, including for current retirees, choppy careers, on the progress of implementing reforms… There is progress! », Details Mathieu Lefèvre.

Not annoying enough?

The well-known question of a minimum pension of 1,200 euros for full careers, including for those already retired (for “shares”) was a specific request from Horizon, but also from Les Républicains, for the possibility of voting for reforms. “I would love that there are so many of us who support this reform, ironically Paul Christophe, Horizon’s deputy spokesman for pensions. The important thing is the goal is reached. That is our philosophy at Horizon, and our egos don’t suffer! “We must still be careful that the right does not claim social progress from reforms,” but privately taunts one centrist.

Of course, the various majority components reserve the right to change the text at certain points. MoDem is the most chatty: François Bayrou’s side wants to lower the retirement age from 67 to 65 with no discount for the smallest retirement and the most bumpy career. Also, the centrists want to include “review clauses” amid reforms “to adapt to future developments in the macroeconomic context”. Not enough for the few on the left of the majority. “We are in the process of reforming Excel tables! », exasperated Patrick Vignal, deputy RE. “We lack an inventive spirit. I believe Emmanuel Macron will interfere, but I want him more for these reforms. »

Efficiency and pragmatism

Hérault’s deputy, wanted real reforms to “the relationship with work, which gives meaning”: “The majority have the means to carry out reforms that come down to the corporate level, almost to the individual level. “It smells good of the universal points system, which was proposed in the previous failed reform in 2019-2020. “Oh! I didn’t say it, you’re the one who made me say it!” hold for the system”, implying without the need for new reforms every ten years.

At Horizon, then-Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s party “obviously we haven’t changed our minds”. But Paul Christophe, reformer at the time, spoke of “another context this year”. “We always want reforms that are more ambitious, but good reforms are successful reforms,” warned Mathieu Lefèvre. Efficiency and pragmatism have always been at the heart of Macron’s philosophy.