Europe

France's New President Wants To Cut Parliament By A Third

He also called for labor reform and for French citizens to move away from welfare dependence.

France's New President Wants To Cut Parliament By A Third
Office of the French President; Twitter / @EmmanuelMacron
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French President Emmanuel Macron has settled into office, and his party controls a legislative majority. Now, he wants to make sweeping changes to the Parliament itself within a year.

Macron called both chambers of Parliament to the chateau of Versailles to lay out key points of his agenda. He warned that if lawmakers failed to pass his reforms within a year, he'd call a referendum and let the French people decide. 

Macron said he wants to cut Parliament's membership by a third. At 925 seats, it's the world's fourth-largest legislature. 

He also wants a "dose" of proportional representation, which drew criticism from his presidential challenger and nationalist firebrand Marine Le Pen.

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Despite French optimism polling fairly high, not everyone is on board with Macron's plans.

Macron's speech was boycotted by members of three far-left parties, who opposed Macron's plans to loosen labor regulations. Macron has also signaled he might roll back France's welfare system.

At Versailles he said: "Every French person has a responsibility and a role to play in the conquests to come."