The French government faces a vote of no confidence in Parliament on Monday. In the afternoon (from 4 p.m.) the National Assembly will vote on two motions from the opposition. The government on Thursday invoked a constitutional article that would allow the pension reform to pass without a vote in the National Assembly if the government survives subsequent no-confidence motions.

A majority for the two no-confidence motions is considered unlikely, as the conservative Republicans are expected to support the government. If there is no absolute majority for a motion of no confidence, the pension reform will finally be passed.

The reform pushed by President Emmanuel Macron provides, among other things, for gradually increasing the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The project has been causing protests in France for weeks. The government's decision to push through the reform without a vote in the National Assembly further fueled sentiment.