Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, used his constitutional executive powers to push through an unpopular raise of the pension age in 2019. The proposed reform aimed to unify the pension system and to create a sustainable, fair, and balanced system for all.
Macron used the power of the executive to present the pension reform bill directly to the Parliament, bypassing the traditional route of sending it to the Cabinet for discussion and approval. This allowed him to fast-track the legislation, thereby minimizing the time for public debate and opposition.
The government also used emergency powers to adopt the reform, which allowed it to pass without a vote in the National Assembly, a move that outraged unions and opposition parties. This enabled Macron to bypass opposition in the parliament and push the reform through quickly.
In addition, the government used a constitutional provision known as 49-3, which allows the government to force a bill through the National Assembly without a vote. This move triggered a no-confidence vote, which the government narrowly survived.
Overall, Emmanuel Macron’s use of constitutional executive powers to push through an unpopular raise of the pension age was controversial and sparked widespread protests across France. Despite the opposition, the pension reform was eventually passed into law in 2020.
