The annual greeting ceremony of the mayor of Hénin-Beaumont, Steeve Briois, took place in the presence of a special guest: Marine Le Pen. The latter took the opportunity to tackle the project to raise the retirement age to 64, without giving any mobilization instructions.

In Hénin-Beaumont (Pas-de-Calais), the annual vows ceremony of Mayor Steeve Briois (National Gathering) was held this Sunday, January 29, 2023 at the François Mitterrand space in front of nearly 600 people.

As a special guest, Marine Le Pen, former president of the National Rally – who gave way to Jordan Bardella last November – and MP for Pas-de-Calais, sent the crowds away.

During this ceremony, the issue of pension reform was discussed. Marine Le Pen took advantage of her presence to ensure that she and her party make “everything to convince, including elected officials who are from other groups, not to go astray in this reform, which is as unfair as it is brutal and ineffective“.

Steve Briois, meanwhile, spoke about the reform project while going on stage. “Today, the French are in the street with a pension reform project that is as cynical as it is unfair“, he launched at the beginning of the speech.

However, until now, the National Rally has given no official instructions for strike and mobilization either for January 19 or for the 31st. The unions, for their part, do not want them in the processions. Among our colleagues from BFM TV, Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT, had refused the support of activists who “do not have the same values“than theirs.”It’s even opposite values“, he insisted.

Marine Le Pen, for her part, replies that “the activists don’t need me to give them instructions“. However, it specifies that a certain number of them”have already planned to go to the provinces against the pension reform, they obviously have plenty of time to do so“.

While they demonstrate, the former president of the National Rally assures that they will lead”the fight within Parliament, the Assembly, to defeat this pension reform“. She feels that, “party as it is, it is not impossible that this pension reform will not be voted“, and adds that they do everything for”that she is not“.

According to Steve Briois, this reform is also made to win”some money in the state coffers“. He highlights, among other things, the most difficult jobs to justify his opposition: “when you’re on a construction site, when you do public works, when you really do hard jobs, including at night, do you need to work until you’re 64? Our citizens must be able to finish their careers in good health.“

And even if he does not make an explicit call for a strike and mobilization, he assures us that the “sympathizers and activists are among the people who will be in the streets“. As for the town hall of Hénin-Beaumont, it will not be closed to protest against the reform, the debate of which is beginning. from Monday 30 January at the National Assembly.

The reason ? “Public service also requires being able to accommodate students sometimes in schools, sometimes in canteens, life must unfortunately go on but it is true that we are opposed and the battle will be fought in the National Assembly too“, he finished.

The presence of Marine Le Pen also appeared as a way of displaying unity within the National Rally. Steeve Briois, ousted from the new leadership of the National Rally in November, then denounced a “beginning of the purge”. He now claims to have moved on.

Moreover, neither he nor Marine Le Pen reserved the slightest split within the party. “I have no sign to give of unityshe assures. The unity between Steve Briois and me has existed for many years, it is not going to disappear, believe me“.