Dear Aldo,
Macron wanted to revitalize democracy, but in the Elysée he concentrated power and accentuated his personification. The arbitrary use of Article 49.3 to enforce pension reform is proving to be a failure. The vote on the motion of no confidence is expected for tomorrow. Even if Marine Le Pen’s Rn and Mlenchon’s Nupes pooled their votes, they would not be enough to secure a majority, 289. The right and the far left could agree on the motion of a small moderate group, Liot, of these MPs Rpublicains would attract attempts to bring down Madame Borne’s government.
Peter Mancini
Dear Peter,
Other readers have also asked for news of the revolt that is igniting France (in a technical sense: after the fires of the last two nights, the police have banned demonstrations on the Place de la Concorde and on the Champs-Elyses). As we said about ten days ago, pension reform is the point of greatest tension between the elites and the people, between the establishment and the workers, between technocrats and voters. The point is that the exponents of the elite have interesting and well-paid jobs and have no need to retire, on the contrary they remain rich and powerful even in old age; the technocrats will also have their reasons for preparing studies and plans showing how the pension system with longevity, precarious contracts, demographic decline is unsustainable; but many voters have tough, low-paying jobs and don’t want to sacrifice themselves for others. In terms of pensions, Chirac lost the 1997 general election and was forced to live with socialist Jospin for five years. Should he fail in the vote of no confidence in the National Assembly tomorrow, Macron would not be obliged to call new elections; could set up a new government. But for him it would be a dramatic failure. In Parliament, the game is in the hands of the Rpublicains, the moderate right: it is very unlikely that they will agree to join the Lepenists and Melanchonists and throw France into chaos; a campaign between the far right and the far left would crush Republicans; but its leader, Eric Ciotti, is weak and does not control his parliamentarians. In the country, the reasons for Macroni’s reformism are now in the minority. The protesters still have public support and the President has never been so unpopular. But when the protest turns violent, when it targets the police, it ends up losing consensus; That’s what happened with the yellow vests.
TODAY’S OTHER LETTERS
Story
I’m 56 and looking for a job, am I too old?
I’m 56 years old and I’m from Milan. Five years ago I left my job as a clerk because the company I worked for moved away from Milan and didn’t have a place for me anymore. I took the opportunity to turn my lifelong dream of cooking into reality. I became a home cook and organizer and preparer of small scale catering for events. I have embarked on a demanding and arduous path that consists of effort, renunciation, worries, but also satisfaction. At least initially. Since the pandemic, the decline. I certainly didn’t stop and put into practice my previous experience in Marketing and Communications, a field in which I was best trained and which I have also continued to cultivate together and for my new business. I created my own start-up, I promoted my culinary proposals and my brand. In the meantime I offered myself for all sorts of jobs. I speak correct Italian and have a good command of spoken and written English. I have offered myself as a hostess for restaurants and clubs, as a kitchen help, as an event manager up to the company secretariat, as a promoter of household appliances, as a stand manager at trade fairs and could continue like this. And without great demands. Suddenly all the experiences from many years of work don’t seem to count anymore. I hear myself say: Are you, ma’am, 56 years old? We are sorry, but we are looking for young employees for training, not older than 30/35 years. But can a 56-year-old woman no longer have a professional future, not even as a dishwasher? Tell me it’s not like that
Isabella Ligi
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