The French Parliament voted against the dissolution of the government after the adoption of pension reform, bypassing the parliamentary vote

The lower house of the French parliament voted against the dissolution of the government after the adoption of pension reform, bypassing the parliamentary vote. Only nine votes were needed to dismiss the government.

On March 16, the government invoked Article 49.3 of the French constitution, which allowed it and President Emmanuel Macron to pass pension reform, bypassing debate in the country's lower house of parliament. Prime Minister Elisabeth Bourne announced this 15 minutes before the start of the final meeting, at which deputies had to vote for or against.

After the government resorted to Article 49.3, the parliamentary opposition passed a vote of no confidence in it. On the evening of March 20, the deputies of the lower house of parliament voted, following which they decided not to dismiss the government.

Context

• The French Upper House of Parliament passed a bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 on March 12.

• The discussion of the reform was accompanied by mass protests by French women, strikes by workers and blockings of university campuses by students.

• On Tuesday, March 7, one million 280 thousand people took to the streets. More than a million people have signed a petition against the reform; according to public opinion polls, 60% of French citizens are opposed to the new bill.