Latest news with #AssembléeNationale
LeMonde
2 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Social democracy: PM Bayrou's proclamations are not enough
Three days after the breakdown of talks on the future of the pensions system, French Prime Minister François Bayrou tried to revive the process during an unusual press conference on Thursday, June 26, during which he did not hesitate to rewrite history in his own way. According to him, the four-month negotiations between labor unions and employers' organizations, an effort to overcome the democratic trauma caused by the raising of the retirement age without a vote in Parliament, were "remarkably useful." Thanks to the goodwill of employers' organizations and the three unions that agreed to sit through the talks, improvements are on the horizon for mothers' pensions, as well as for retirees who have not contributed long enough to receive a full pension. The prime minister downplayed the significance of the deadlocks that emerged over arduous working conditions and how to fund all proposed adjustments. He said he was ready to grant an additional two weeks of discussions to the labor unions and employers' organizations. But he did not rule out the possibility of putting forward "compromise solutions" himself that could be translated into legislation as part of the social security budget to be debated this fall. If the goal of this initiative was to reshuffle the deck, its failure is clear. The Socialists, which the centrist Bayrou has been trying to win over since his appointment, submitted a motion of no confidence on Tuesday, on the grounds that the initial promise to review the issue of the retirement age of 64 had been broken. With just two weeks to go before the announcement of tough budgetary choices, this attempt at outreach to the left ended in failure. As for the participants in what Bayrou called a "conclave," they remain highly circumspect: While not shutting the door on further talks, all are holding back on responding. Bayrou has always championed social democracy. It is his only card in this matter. Everythign else is playing against him: his record unpopularity, fueled by a tendency to procrastinate rather than decide; his inability to assert any real authority over the centrist bloc, which shares no common vision regarding the future of the 2023 pension reform; and his complex relationship with the president, who supports him but is also frustrated by the risk of an impasse. The combination of these weaknesses means that, instead of generating momentum around what he believes in – shared responsibility and easing labor tensions – the prime minister appears increasingly desperate, resorting to cunning manneuvers in order to survive politically. The return of the labor unions and employers' organizations to the negotiating table is all the more necessary as the loss of a majority in the Assemblée Nationale led to deadlock and a simmering crisis. Bayrou said he was willing to entrust the governance of the public pension fund to the employer representatives and the unions. This would be an effective way to defuse and depoliticize the management of a hot-button issue that, given demographic trends, is far from settled. But trust cannot be mandated. Having been sidelined for eight years, the unions have every reason to be wary. Protected by pro-business policies, the employers' representatives struggle to understand that they, too, need to do their part. They reject any increase in contributions but are in no hurry to facilitate employment for older workers. The obstacles are not solely political in nature.
LeMonde
3 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Iran-Israel: French PM Bayrou acknowledges a 'shift' to a world where 'force prevails'
The joke was easy, but fitting. "The government is leaking!" several opposition MPs said, as water dripped from the ceiling of the Assemblée Nationale following heavy rains in Paris. Prime Minister François Bayrou, speaking on the situation in the Middle East, pointed out the leak at the end of his address on Wednesday evening, June 25. A few drops landed on the prime minister's lectern, forcing a 20-minute pause while firefighters laid down absorbent mats. Aside from the storm outside, the evening at the Palais Bourbon – which stretched until 1 am – was relatively calm. It was to be expected that this debate, held on a Wednesday evening without a vote and focused on international issues, would attract only a few MPs, many of whom trickled out as the night – and the weather – wore on. Each speaker took the floor to present their own take on the global situation. Before the water started falling on his head, Bayrou opened the session with a 30-minute speech flanked by Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The prime minister laid out the broader context of ongoing conflicts, with a cease-fire having taken effect Tuesday between Iran and Israel after 12 days of war and US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
LeMonde
3 days ago
- Climate
- LeMonde
Severe storms in France kill, injure and destroy property
Two people, including a child, died in a violent storm that lashed France overnight, emergency services said on Thursday, June 26. The violent downpour late Wednesday injured 17 others, one seriously, France's emergency services added. In southern France, a falling tree killed a 12-year-old boy, while a man on a quad bike died after crashing into another that had been brought down by the storm. In the capital, the sky turned an eerie yellow hue as lightning flashed above the Sacré-Cœur cathedral and fierce winds sent Parisians rushing for cover. Meanwhile, rain leaked through the roof of the Assemblée Nationale, forcing lawmakers to suspend talks on conflict in the Middle East. "It's raining in the chamber (...) I repeat: it's raining in the chamber," wrote MP Maud Petit on her X account. The storms followed a sweltering heatwave with temperatures passing 35°C. It brought gusts of wind exceeding 100 kilometers per hour, which damaged property. More extreme heat is expected over the weekend and into early next week. Nearly 100,000 homes were still left without electricity on Thursday, mainly in central France, emergency services said. "Trees blocking roads, damage to infrastructure and homes, flooding and power outages have been reported," it said.
LeMonde
20-06-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
The dashed hopes of France's left-wing alliance
A year has gone by, but left-wing candidate Raphaël Glucksmann remembers that evening as if it were yesterday. The exhaustion of a European election campaign, the satisfaction of having come out ahead of the other left-wing candidates, the heat inside La Bellevilloise – the event venue in Paris' 20 th arrondissement where he had planned to celebrate his good result –President Emmanuel Macron appearing on television, his announcement of the dissolution of the Assemblée Nationale. Politics felt like a whirlwind on the evening of the June 9, 2024, European elections. During the campaign, the Socialist, Green and Communist parties had focused on one idea: that a strong showing by Glucksmann and the Socialist list would rebalance their parties' power dynamics with the radical-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party and force its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, to accept the idea of a joint left-wing candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. Their tacit agreement, which they prepared far in advance, was upended by Macron's decision to dissolve the Assemblée. The hastily-organized snap elections that resulted forced all three parties to negotiate with LFI.
LeMonde
18-06-2025
- Business
- LeMonde
Six months later, Bayrou is still France's PM
One deadline extension after another, and with the help of various stalling tactics, on Friday, June 13, French Prime Minister François Bayrou managed to reach the six-month mark for his time in office, lasting twice as long as his predecessor, Michel Barnier. He marches on, but at a cautious pace. Bayrou still has to operate under the threat of a no-confidence vote in a majority-less Assemblée Nationale. He put a new "idea" on the table on Monday, June 16, the day before the expected conclusion of a key series of talks on the pensions system: a "bonus" paid to older employees who "choose to stay at work." And he said he was ready to give the negotiators from the labor unions and employers' organizations extra time to examine the proposal. The end of the talks, initially scheduled for May 28, then June 17, was therefore delayed once again. "He's dragging things out," said a Macron-aligned lawmaker.
