France's Emmanuel Macron wins Pyrrhic victory on pension bill, risks fuelling anger
India TodayPresident Emmanuel Macron's move to shun the National Assembly and push through an unpopular pension system overhaul without a vote in the lower house may secure a reform he says is needed for France's finances. "It's a democratic coup," far-right leader Marine Le Pen told reporters after a chaotic session in parliament, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne was booed as she announced that the government would invoke article 49.3 of the constitution allowing it to pass the legislation without a vote. READ | French Senate approves Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms despite raging protests Once known as a high-stakes political gambler, Macron chose to play it safe. READ | France braces for second nationwide strike against pension reform However, from the outset Macron's government failed to make the case for reform.