Arthur De Laborde / Photo credit: Magali Cohen / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
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1:36 p.m., May 03, 2023
The Constitutional Council must render its decision on Wednesday May 3 concerning the shared initiative referendum (RIP) carried by the parliamentarians of the left. The latter aims to limit the retirement age to 62 years. A first request had already been rejected last month.
After an initial request was rejected last month, left-wing parliamentarians have again called for a shared initiative referendum (RIP) to limit the retirement age to 62. The Constitutional Council must deliver its verdict this Wednesday, May 3. To hope to see its request approved, the left added an article 2 to the second version of its text. The latter aims to establish a “contribution of capital income to the financing of pensions”.
The measure should be seen as a reform
The challenge is to determine whether this measure can be considered a reform by the Elders or whether they will decide that it is a simple provision limited to increasing taxes. What they have already done in the past in a fairly close situation. According to the Constitution, a shared initiative referendum must relate to “reforms relating to economic, social or environmental policy”.
Low chance of passing
Based on a very strict interpretation, the institution of the rue de Montpensier considered that the first RIP requested did not present this character of reform. The chances of this second text being validated are therefore low. Even if the Constitutional Council were to give the green light, the organization of a referendum would remain unlikely. It would still be necessary to collect 4.9 million signatures and above all, Parliament could put an end to the procedure simply by examining the text.
Although a surprise can always happen, the left has very little hope that the request will be accepted, as explained by the leader of the Insoumis deputies, Mathilde Panot. Opponents therefore seem to be betting everything on June 8, the date on which the Assembly will examine a bill tabled by the Liot group to repeal the pension reform.