French MPs and senators gathered at Versailles

French MPs and senators gathered at Versailles yesterday to vote on constitutional amendments enacting a historic - and bitterly contested - change to the health and welfare system, writes Mary Dejevsky. The constitution was amended to empower parliament to set limits on welfare spending as part of a drive to reduce public deficits and qualify for a single European currency in 1999. The special joint congress voted by 681 to 188 for the amendment requiring parliament to adopt an annual Social Security Funding Act setting spending targets in keeping with forecast revenues.

Photograph: Gareth Watkins/Reuter