It is an article of the constitution that was written in by Charles de Gaulle when he established the Fifth Republic in 1958. So since then it's been actually used exactly 100 times. Sophie, why did President Macron feel this was so necessary to push through? Well, I think it's got to do with the same factors that are affecting every country in the West: aging population and strain of public pension system.
Emmanuel Macron narrowly survived two no-confidence votes, sparked by his pushing a pension-reform package through the legislature without bringing it up for a vote. But his troubles are far from over. Covid and the war in Ukraine exacerbated Russia’s long-standing demographic woes. And we analyse the artistry of the world’s greatest mime, born 100 years ago today.
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