The French government and Macron all lost in the pensions debacle
John Lichfield examines what will happen to Emmanuel Macron , his troubled prime minister, and the strike-weary nation after a turbulent 24 hours in the French parliament and on the streets. Emmanuel Macron enjoys taking chances. It was always going to be a calculated risk to insist on a hated but necessary pension reform during a time of international crisis and domestic strife. The President was forced to choose between two significant risks on Thursday afternoon, much like one of the priggish heroes of a classic French tragedy. He could allow the National Assembly to vote on the pension reform, which he would probably lose, and which could have disastrous effects on France's standing in the international financial markets. The reform could also be imposed by him using the extra authority granted to the French government by Article 49.3 of the constitution. Le Monde reports that three of his most senior ministers begged him not to. They foresaw a public outrage conflagration th...