Leftist politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon was one of the first to speak out against President Macron’s bid to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 by invoking Article 49:3.

But Mélenchon’s stance is no surprise, as during last year’s presidential campaign his Nupes alliance (comprising far-left, left and green parties) pledged to lower the retirement age to 60.

He said the bill “had no legitimacy” and described Macron’s decision to call on Article 49:3 a “spectacular failure”.