French protests rage after vote on pension reform (VIDEOS)

The parliament has failed to pass a no-confidence motion against the government, falling short only nine votes Read Full Article at RT.com

TroibNews TroibNews
Mar 20, 2023 - 23:00
0
French protests rage after vote on pension reform (VIDEOS)

Violent unrest continues across the country as the parliament failed to depose the government over the debated bill

The French government survived two no-confidence votes on Monday, prompted by the decision by President Emmanuel Macron to push through the controversial pension reform bill without lawmakers’ approval. The botched vote was followed by renewed violent unrest overnight.

The first no-confidence motion, tabled by a small group of centrist opposition lawmakers, garnered significant support in the National Assembly, dominated by Macron’s centrist alliance. The motion missed the threshold of 287 required to pass only by nine votes. The second motion, put forward by the right-wing National Rally party, was backed only by 94 lawmakers.

Despite the failure of the no-confidence motions, some opposition lawmakers, nevertheless, urged the government to resign. “The government is already dead in the eyes of the French, it doesn’t have any legitimacy any more,” a left-wing MP lawmaker Mathilde Panot has said after the vote.

READ MORE: French MPs threatened with guillotine ahead of crucial vote

In wake of the no-confidence votes, France’s top police trade union, the SGP Police FO, sounded alarm over the forces’ ability to contain the ongoing unrest. “We’re starting to run out of steam on the police side,” the union said, bemoaning the so-called “punch actions” by the protesters, such as suddenly blocking roads and causing other disruptions.