The President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, who preferred the path of the amendment, launched this invitation to dinner with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, when the latter returned empty-handed from her consultations with the parliamentary groups, almost all hostile to this idea. .

The final decision will be made public «by the end of the week», promised Ms. Borne on Monday.

The ministers concerned will be gathered around the table, such as Bruno Le Maire (Economy), Olivier Dussopt (Labour), or even Franck Riester (Relations with Parliament), as well as the heads of majority parliamentary groups, Aurore Bergé (Renaissance ), Jean-Paul Mattei (MoDem) and Laurent Marcangeli (Horizons), but also the leaders of the allied parties, Stéphane Séjourné (Renaissance), François Bayrou (MoDem) and Edouard Philippe (Horizons).

Emmanuel Macron, who intends to implement this campaign promise from 2023, had suggested the path of an amendment to the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS).

– «Hard» –

Elisabeth Borne, responsible for consulting deputies from all sides, encountered the refusal of almost all the groups, who denounced a «forceful passage» if the reform went through an amendment, including the ally of the MoDem, and the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet.

«It’s a red line against which we will use all parliamentary means,» warned Tuesday the leader of the Insoumis deputies Mathilde Panot.

The representatives of the MoDem in the National Assembly again judged Tuesday “unthinkable” the hypothesis of an amendment. But the party will «obviously» not go «until a vote of a motion of censure», assured Mr. Mattei.

«We cannot be re-elected on a promise to change the method», based on dialogue and compromise, «and pass in force», thundered the spokesperson for the group Bruno Millienne.

Bruno Le Maire assured France Inter on Tuesday that it had «never been a question of going into force, but you also have to know how to decide in politics». «Doing it quickly is not doing it in a hurry. We can take a few months of consultations», he added, referring to an implementation in «summer 2023».

«It’s a difficult decision», we «are looking for the best way», admitted Monday Ms. Borne.

– Third way –

Between the pear and the cheese, a third way could however be served to the guests, according to Le Canard Enchaîné to be published on Wednesday.

The weekly evokes the idea of ​​a corrective PLFSS carrying this reform, which would be deposited in January, which would leave a few months to the dialogue and would make it possible to coax the MoDem.

According to a government source, Elisabeth Borne «does not want a dry pension reform», only on the retirement age or the duration of contributions She also wishes to speak with the social partners about hardship or the employment of seniors . This is why the «initial» PLFSS did not include an amendment on pensions, the same source points out.

“Maybe there is the option of closer bills and not necessarily in the spring”, but before. «That’s the point,» says a source in the majority.

The Prime Minister, deprived of an absolute majority, assured that she would push for «the search for a compromise» on the method without excluding the use of Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the adoption of a text without vote except motion of censure.

Beyond the method, unions and oppositions – apart from LR – are very upset at the idea of ​​a pension reform.

François Bayrou judged for his part that if the path of the amendment was chosen, the National Council for Refoundation (CNR) which he is responsible for steering «would be compromised».

Whatever the decision, Emmanuel Macron has already planned on his way to Spain on Friday to stop in the town hall of the boss of the MoDem in Pau. In consolation or reconciliation mode.