Macron goes for nuclear option: French government overrides parliament over pensions

17.03.2023 - 12:37 france24.com

Under Charles de Gaulle's 1958 constitution, the French president is perfectly within his rights to force parliament's hand.

But was it smart? We ask why Macron was so hellbent on raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 and whether it is all over. Unions vow to keep on striking and marching: even though the bill has passed, the street could still force the government to backtrack.

And what about the long run, if the president breaks the resolve of unions and parliament? Who stands to gain? The 2019 Yellow Vest movement rued out-of-touch elites, a theme championed by the far-right's Marine Le Pen.

Could Macron's method be a vote-winner for the populists who oppose him? Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Juliette Laurain and Imen Mellaz. Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Take international news everywhere with you!

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German and Spanish leaders were much more soft spoken. Can the 27 reconcile their views at a crucial moment? For France, it's quite a diplomatic tightrope. The French are NATO members with overseas territories and security interests that run rival to China in the Pacific. But they also want to redress a growing trade deficit with Beijing.

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And we ask about the law. The hush money case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney against Trump could be the prelude to more serious charges of alleged election tampering in Georgia and inciting the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Two former French presidents have been convicted, while impeachments have become routine in places like Peru, but for the United States, this is a first. Why?

IOC Russia Recommendation Not Binding For Paris 2024: French Minister

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendation to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals is not binding for Paris' 2024 Olympics, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said on Thursday. IOC recommendations were "a step which does not pre-judge what we will do" for Paris 2024, Oudea-Castera told reporters on a visit near Paris. "If the international federations decide that there will be participation by individual athletes, it will be under a strict neutrality regime, without a Russian flag or the national anthem," she added. Voices from western governments, civil society and athletes have been raised against allowing any Russian participation in the Games following Moscow's invasion last year of neighbour Ukraine.

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Have we now actually lost control of technology? An open letter by some of tech's most prominent minds is now calling on world leaders to enact a six-month pause in the development of artificial intelligence.

Why are so many young French people fighting against Macron’s pension reforms?

For many young people the world over, retirement is an abstract idea. Faced with issues like global warming and unemployment, Gen Z have enough on their plates to start thinking about pensions.

IOC Russia Recommendation Not Binding For Paris 2024: French Minister