France Pension Reform: Streets Burn As President Emmanuel Macron Narrowly Survives Floor Test

President Emmanuel Macron has narrowly survived the no-confidence vote which was triggered when his government modified the pension age to 64.

France Pension Reform: The government of France led by President Emmanuel Macron has narrowly survived the no-confidence vote which was triggered when it modified the pension age to 64, reported BBC. Amid all this, the anti-government protests are continuing on the streets of the country with protesters burning piles of rubbish 

BBC mentioned that so far, 101 people were arrested after stand-offs with police. 

The no-confidence vote was tabled by centrist MPs. 278 voted in favour, while 287 votes were needed for it to succeed. The report said that had it been successful, President Emmanuel Macron would have had to name a new government or call new elections. 

A second no-confidence motion, tabled by Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, also did not pass. Now that both votes have failed, the contentious bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 will become law. 

The floor test was held after Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne used a special constitutional power, called Article 49:3, to push the bill through without a vote last week. 

It angered the citizens who then took to the streets to show their anger.  

Earlier on Saturday, France banned protests outside the parliament after agitation against the government pushing through a rise in the pension age intensified, the news agency AFP reported. 

“Due to serious risks of disturbances to a public order... all gatherings on the public thoroughfare in Place de la Concorde and its surroundings, as well as in the area of the Champs Elysees, are banned,” police said. 

Over 300 people were arrested in the last 24 hours after President Emmanuel Macron decided to bypass the parliament and force through his pension overhaul, which includes raising the eligible age from 62 to 64. 

President Macron instructed prime minister Élisabeth Borne to invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the French government to adopt a bill without a parliamentary vote. He took the decision as he thought there would be too much economic risk to the country if MPs voted against the bill.