Home » World » Foreign Press Highlights Macron’s Isolation and Weakness in the Wake of Pension Reform

Foreign Press Highlights Macron’s Isolation and Weakness in the Wake of Pension Reform

Many international media have discussed the political and social situation in the country, and pointed to the increasingly strong unpopularity of the President of the Republic.

“Admission of weakness”, “failure”, “pantalonnade”, the day after the activation by Elisabeth Borne of 49.3 to pass the pension reform, the French press widely castigated the use of this so decried constitutional tool. The spontaneous gatherings organized in the evening and the excesses that followed are also widely discussed.

For its part, the international press also echoed the situation in the country, following the example of the New York Timesthat “the conflict over pensions reveals a weakened and more isolated Macron.”

In one of its edition of the day, the American daily uses a snapshot showing the rebellious deputies brandishing posters against the government in the National Assembly.

The cover of the New York Times of March 17, 2023
The front page of the New York Times of March 17, 2023 © New York Times

“The Blocked Republic”, title The time, according to whom “there are reforms therefore a government never recovers”. “Confidence in the President and Parliament, already at half mast, suffered an additional blow on Thursday. Emmanuel Macron is the first responsible”, judges the German weekly.

“Anger” and “chaos”

Several British media devoted their headlines to the events of this Thursday. The Guardian evokes “anger” because of “Macron’s forced passage on pensions.”

A photograph of several deputies present before the National Assembly, including Mathilde Panot and Rachel Kéké, is also used on the front page of the daily dated today. “Scenes of chaos took place in Parliament”, can we also read.

France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598855.jpg, https://images.bfmtv.com/F5mSSg2SiOMgKZ8yPAuY5zA88ys=/0x0:750x948/1160x0/images/Retraites-la-France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598855.jpg 2x">The front page of the Guardian on March 17, 2023
Guardian front page of 17 March 2023 © The Guardian

The Daily Telegraph also chose to illustrate its front page with rebellious deputies. This time, the shot chosen is that of the elected officials who brandished, shortly before the speech of Elisabeth Borne in the National Assembly, posters on which one could read “64 years, it’s no!” They then sang the Marseillaise then booed the Prime Minister.

“Signs of trouble for Macron and his pension reform”, can we read.

France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598864.jpg, https://images.bfmtv.com/oJ4cmLvQhjsfkVVi1Y79052z6qc=/0x0:598x675/1160x0/images/Retraites-la-France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598864.jpg 2x">The front page of the Daily Telegraph of March 17, 2023
The front page of the Daily Telegraph of March 17, 2023 © Daily Telgraph

Macron’s unpopularity

In Spain, several general news dailies also reserve their front pages for pension reform and the 49.3 used by the executive, which symbolizes “the failure of politics and a deep institutional crisis”, estimates Ana Fuentes in The country.

Here again, a photograph of the rebellious deputies at the Palais Bourbon is used to illustrate the crisis.

France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598871.jpg, https://images.bfmtv.com/bZrz8XxwTrEHc7UsyRZm9yFj9S8=/0x0:750x1112/1160x0/images/Retraites-la-France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598871.jpg 2x">The front page of El Pais of March 17, 2023
The front page of El Pais of March 17, 2023 © El Pais

According to this former correspondent in Paris of the Spanish daily, “Macron, whose popularity is at its lowest, always questioned for his haughty character and disconnected from the street, entered the same phase as his predecessors Alain Juppé, in 1995, and Nicolas Sarkozy, in 2010, when they also reformed pensions.”

Pour The vanguardthe use of 49.3 to push through the pension reform “leaves Macron very affected.”

France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598873.jpg, https://images.bfmtv.com/hziWHkwRq48c69x5Qu_eBklRhGc=/0x0:750x1111/1160x0/images/Retraites-la-France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598873.jpg 2x">The cover of the Vanguardia of March 17, 2023
The front page of La Vanguardia on March 17, 2023 © La Vanguardia

“Strike” and “Challenge”

In Belgium, The evening insists on the “coup de force” of the executive. “A decision which triggered the anger of the French who protested throughout the country”, reports the media from across Quiévrain.

France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598876.jpg, https://images.bfmtv.com/AgahaA7xEGxjFZyvinw73IZoNFI=/0x0:504x450/1008x0/images/Retraites-la-France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598876.jpg 2x">The evening cover of March 17, 2023
The front page of Le Soir of March 17, 2023 © Le Soir

In Italy, The Republic decided to use a photograph of the demonstrators gathered at Place de la Concorde to illustrate its front page of the day.

France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598884.jpg, https://images.bfmtv.com/tV34k_hmkFN6j_NJVVkrJsXnezQ=/0x0:750x1027/1160x0/images/Retraites-la-France-a-la-une-de-la-presse-etrangere-qui-evoque-un-Macron-affaibli-et-isole-1598884.jpg 2x">The front page of La Repubblica of March 17, 2023
La one de la Repubblica du 17 mars 2023 © La Repubblica

“Macron challenges parliament and the street”, one can read.

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