French left-wing coalition stages protest against amendment in pension bill

By Gizem Taskin Nicollet

PARIS (AA) – France's left-wing coalition Nupes staged a protest rally Wednesday after a majority of parliamentarians in the Social Affairs Committee voted for an amendment to abolish Article 1 of the Liot group's bill, aimed at repealing retirement at the age of 64.

The committee was deliberating on the Liot bill, which seeks to repeal the postponement of the legal retirement age to 64 years. Article 1 of the bill was abolished after 38 deputies voted against it and 34 voted in favor.

Around a hundred supporters of the left-wing coalition gathered at the Invalides near the parliament building in Paris, where an important vote was taking place in the Social Affairs Committee in response to calls from the Leftist La France Insoumise party.

Antoine Leaument, a Nupes parliamentarian, issued a call on Twitter for people to gather at Invalides to "rally against pension reform and the Macronists' coups."

"We are like the majority of French people; all we ask for is a vote in the assembly. In what democracy are deputies forbidden to vote in the assembly?" Louis Boyard, another left-wing coalition party lawmaker, told BFMTV.

In order to prevent the bill from being voted on in parliament on June 8, the presidential majority increased its maneuvering.

Denouncing these actions as multiple blows to democracy, the Nupes legislators left the Social Affairs Committee when it resumed its work.

The Liot group has proposed a bill in parliament to repeal the pension reform which has caused weeks of protests and unrest across France.

In their proposed bill, the group suggests an extra tax on tobacco products as a solution to compensate for the financial shortfall caused by the cancellation of the pension reform.

French trade unions are planning a nationwide day of protests against the pension reform on June 6, just two days before the bill is examined by members of parliament.

France President Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular pension reform, which caused weeks of protests in the country, aims to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.