French President, Emmanual Macron, has invoked Article 49:3 to push through his government’s pension reforms, bypassing the National Assembly.

Amid chaotic scenes in parliament, Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, announced that the government was to use the constitutional power to force the reforms through, as it became apparent that the government would likely lose the National Assembly vote on the bill.

France has been gripped by protests at the proposed changes, particularly the raising of the retirement age from 62 to 64.

National Assembly member and far-right politician, Marine Le Pen, said that the deputies of the opposition parties would file a motion of no-confidence in the government.

Article 49:3 allows the sitting government to pass legislation without a vote in the National Assembly, but it also enables the opposition to file a motion of no-confidence in the government.

Speaking in the National Assembly amid jeers and opposition members singing the French national anthem, Borne said that the reform was necessary and the country could not gamble on the future of its pensions.

The decision to invoke Article 49:3 is likely to lead to further protests in the country, with protesters gathering outside the National Assembly as the news was announced.

The bill had been approved by the Senate earlier in the day.

According to polls, around three-quarters of the French population are opposed to the raising of the retirement age.

Macron has previously described the reforms as essential to make the nation’s pension system more affordable, with the system forecast to run at a deficit in its current state.

The proposed pension age reform process is scheduled to start in September, reaching 63 years and three months by 2027 and hitting the target age of 64 in 2030.

Alongside the raising of the retirement age, several other proposals were presented as part of the reforms.

The amount of time working needed to receive a full pension will rise from 42 years to 43 and a guaranteed minimum pension income will be introduced.

This income level will be set at no less than 85 per cent of minimum wage for new retirees.

Public sector workers in mentally or physically demanding jobs will keep the right to retire earlier than the wider workforce, but their retirement age will rise at the same rate.

The government also announced that differing retirement ages and pension benefits for certain workforces, such as rail workers, would end.

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