French Protests Put Macron's Government at Risk Ahead of Crucial Elections

French President Emmanuel Macron's government faces unprecedented risk ahead of crucial elections due to widespread protests opposing the country's planned pension reform.

On Monday, the country's National Assembly is set to examine no-confidence motions filed after Macron's government bypassed parliament on Thursday. The latter move was made to push through a widely unpopular pension reform that would raise the retirement age requirement from 62 to 64 years old.

Macron Facing Mounting Pressure

The latest move follows several weeks of protest against overhauling the country's pension system. It also triggered three nights of unrest and demonstrations in Paris and other regions in France. The situation is reminiscent of the Yellow Vest protests in late 2018 that were sparked by high fuel prices.

On Sunday, Macron issued a statement where he expressed hope that the "text on pensions can go to the end of its democratic journey." This result is expected to occur as the votes on Monday would display anger at the president's government but are unlikely to take it down, as per France24.

Furthermore, Liot, a centrist group, proposed a multiparty no-confidence motion co-signed by the left-wing Nupes alliance. Hours after that move, the country's far-right National Rally party, which currently has 88 National Assembly members, also filed a no-confidence motion.

However, despite Macron's party losing its absolute majority in the lower house in last year's elections, there is only a minuscule chance for the multi-party motion. This is unless a surprise alliance of lawmakers is created from all sides, including the far left and the far right.

Conservative Les Republicans (LR) party leaders have also prevented such an alliance from forming. None of them sponsored the first no-confidence motion that was filed on Friday.

France's Planned Pension Reform

The protests included some people holding an altered photograph of President Macron sitting on a pile of garbage. According to ABC News, the image references both the trash that is going uncollected with Paris sanitation workers holding a strike and what many residents are thinking about their country's leader.

Macron had been optimistic that his continued push to raise the retirement age requirement would cement his leadership as the president who transformed the country's economy for the 21st century. However, he has found himself and his authority contested in parliament and on the streets of the country's major cities.

The president's bold move to force the pension reform bill without a vote incited fury among political opposition. It could curb his government's efforts to pass legislation for the remaining four years of his term.

In its push to implement the pension reform, the French government has argued that raising the retirement age is crucial to preserve the country's "share-out" system. This is based on a single fund that workers pay into and pensioners draw money out of.

With people continuously having longer lifespans, the only alternatives to the pension reform would be to cut the value of pensions or increase contributions from those still working, said BBC.