Macron's French presidency at risk: Oppn parties issue no-confidence motion against govt

After French President Emmanuel Macron shunned the parliament to raise the country’s retirement age, his administration is expected to face a no-confidence motion next week. According to The Wall Street Journal, a group of centrist french lawmakers filed the motion on Friday.

The group opposing Marcon was backed by 58 members of the National Assembly which is the lower chamber of the parliament. The motion was initiated after Marcon overrode the parliament and passed the pension reform Bill, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64. The French president triggered Article 49.3, which enabled the Marcon administration to pass the bill, but it also opened the doors for a no-confidence motion against his government. 

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), apart from the centrist leaders, a far-right party, the National Rally, also pushed its own no-confidence motion against the Macron government on Friday. The motions came less than 24 hours after Macron invoked his special power and triggered the Article. On Thursday, the highly contentious bill was passed without approval from the 577-member National Assembly.

The move by the French president triggered a nationwide protest, which also turned violent in several areas. If any of the motions turn out to be successful, it will topple the Macron administration and kill the bill reforms.

Left or right, all oppositions join forces

When it comes to the no-confidence motion spearheaded by the centrist group, the motion got its backing from NUPES, WSJ reported. NUPES is a left-leaning coalition which comprises socialists, communists and green parties. The National Rally Party which is the largest opposition party in the National Assembly is willing to support either of the motions.

The leader of the far-right party Marine Le Pen asserted that her party will support any of the no-confidence motions against the Macron government. “All the lawmakers of Les Républicains who will not vote for censure will in fact let the pension reform pass,” Le Pen wrote on Twitter. 

The Marcon government's hope lies with the conservative Les Républicain party. According to the WSJ, party's leader Eric Ciotti supported raising the retirement age. Ciotti made it clear that he will not support the no-confidence motion. However, a group of dissident people within the party are inclined to support the motion. As the ongoing nationwide protest over the issue escalates, the chances of Macron surviving the motion are declining.