Pensions: Jordan Bardella wants ‘referendum’ and promises ‘counter-reform’

National Rally President Jordan Bardella called for a pension reform referendum this Sunday to “get out of hand” in the debate and assured his party would present an alternative bill.

“I think in the coming days we can move into difficult and uncertain times with popular protests in the streets, lockdown risks,” Jordan Bardella said during the grand rendezvous Europe 1 / Cnews / Les Echos.

“And then there is this refusal majority in the country around the 68% of the French, according to an Ifop poll, who oppose pension reform. I say, when this horizon is in front of you, then you need to go through a referendum,” he continued.

“Come out on top”

According to the MEP, the referendum “is a way to bring this text up for discussion, to emerge victorious,” stressing that Emmanuel Macron “was insulted during the legislative elections,” in which he did not receive only a relative majority.

Arguing that there are “1001 ways to oppose the reform”, the text of which is due to be presented on Monday in the Council of Ministers, Jordan Bardella indicated that the RN is going to “submit a counter-reform” and “above all lead the opposition to this text in the National Assembly” with 88 sitting deputies.

Instead of raising the starting age from 62 to 64, Jordan Bardella mentioned other “directions” such as “supporting the birth rate”, “supporting productivity”, “re-industrialization”, encouraging “economic patriotism” or “make a long-term commitment to the abolition of (…) production taxes” .

Welcoming the “peaceful mobilization” seen during the anti-reform marches on Thursday and Saturday, Jordan Bardella nevertheless personally ruled out marching along with unions who “said on several occasions that they did not want to see elected members of the National Rally in Parliament” . demons.”

“I would feel like Tartuffe”

“I’m a little confused by all this, because actually a demonstration next to someone like Mr. Berger (CFDT, approx. ed.) or Mr. Martinez (CGT, approx. ed.) who called for voting for Emmanuel Macron (in the second round of the presidential election against Marine Le Pen, ed.), I would feel like Tartuffe, ”he explained.

Jordan Bardella in this sense described the “profound schizophrenia” of the trade unions and the left opposition, who “chosen the social executioner of the French people six months ago” and who “organize street parades six months later.”

For her part, visiting Senegal, Marine Le Pen denounced the “contempt” that Emmanuel Macron would maintain towards the French: “The victims are not only Africans, but also the French. He despises everyone, including the people he leads,” she said.