Decisive day for Macron’s pension gamble in tense France

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France’s showdown over a bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 is heading toward a climax, either via a parliamentary vote or through a special presidential move to force it through the legislature. The Senate adopted the bill on Thursday morning in a 193-114 vote. The legislation now moves to the National Assembly, where its fate is uncertain. President Emmanuel Macron had a morning meeting with leaders of his centrist alliance to discuss the complex situation. Macron’s alliance lost its parliamentary majority last year, forcing the government to count on conservative lawmakers to pass the bill. Leftists and far-right lawmakers are strongly opposed and conservatives are divided, making the outcome unpredictable.