One million French protest against Macron’s pension reform

The French unions keep the pressure on the Government of Emmanuel Macron in the intense push for pension reform. The massive protests had given the first signs of fatigue on Tuesday, when the first drop in the number of protesters was recorded. Barely four days later, the union front managed to mobilize again in greater numbers this Saturday, with a day of mobilizations greater than the previous one. The historic resistance of the French people to the cuts in their retirement system – one of the most advanced in Europe – prevailed over the exhaustion of the succession of demonstrations.

Between more than 2.5 million peopleaccording to the unions, and 963,000, according to the police, protested throughout the French territory against the increase in the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 years (with 42 or 43 years contributing to receive a full pension). It has represented the fourth day of mass protests – it is the largest social movement in France since 2010 – in less than a month. This time he had the novelty of a greater presence of private sector workers. It was the first time that the union united front called the demonstrations on a weekend and this was noted with a more familiar atmosphere, as well as a greater variety of protester profiles.

“This time we were able to come& rdquor;

“When you work in a private company, it is more difficult to strike, since it is frowned upon by the bosses. This time we were able to come to the demonstrations,” Alicia, 28, assures EL PERIÓDICO. This employee of a computer group, who participated in a demonstration of this type for the first time, attended the march in Paris with a banner that said “retirement before arthritis& rdquor;. Between 500,000 people, according to the unions, and 97,000, according to the security forces, paraded in the capital from Place de la République to Place de la Nation, passing through the Bastille.

“Several people in my family exercise difficult trades. My mother worked in a cleaning company and they had to give her physical disability due to the physical problems she suffered. It seems unfair to me that they increase the retirement age,” explains Leyla, 32, an engineer interviewed near where the Attac truck was located. Dressed as “Rosie the riveter” (Rosie, the riveter), the militants of this alter-globalization organization staged one of the liveliest sections of the Parisian demonstration, with dances and music at full blast.

In 2020, lors du 1er projet de réforme à points, our planes occupé 2 Ibis hôtels avec les femmes de chambre d’Ibis Batignolles pour soutenir leur grève historique de près de 2 ans.
Nous leur avions composed the chanson « IBIS ON FIRE » ? https://t.co/2xXxCw2jPM

—Les Rosies (@LesRosies) February 11, 2023

As had already happened in the three general strikes in recent weeks, a festive and peaceful atmosphere prevailed, even more so by the standards of the bustling neighboring country. Despite this, there were some incidents in Paris, Nantes or Rennes. In the capital, a group of black-blocs (extreme left agitators) set a vehicle on fire and broke some windows. Security forces reported four detainees for this incident. At Orly airport in Paris, a surprise strike by air traffic controllers also led to the cancellation of half the flights.

Will there be unlimited strikes in March?

“I would like that Macron gave in without violence, but I’m afraid he is totally indifferent to peaceful demonstrations,” said Françoise Beaulier, 57, a high school teacher who carried a homemade banner warning the president: “Do you want the extreme right to power? in 2027 (year in which the next presidential elections will be held)? You’re about to get it.” Last Monday the unpopular reform began to be debated in the National Assembly, rejected by 65% ​​of the Frenchaccording to the latest polls.

Some tense debates, especially between the Macronist representatives and those of the insubmissive left (affiliated with Podemos), have marked this first week of the text in the lower house. the office of the assembly excluded friday two weeks – the most severe sanction, according to the parliamentary regulation – to the deputy of the left Thomas Portes for having photographed himself with a soccer ball in which there was a photograph of the Labor Minister Olivier Dussoptone of the leaders most criticized by the protesters, in addition to Macron and the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne.

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As the reform has not been prepared as a traditional bill, but within the rectifying budget of the Social Security, its passage through the National Assembly will be brief. Until February 17. It will then be debated in the Senate. Time is pressing for unions. “We are willing to paralyze france in all sectors from March 7& rdquor ;, assured this Saturday Frédéric Souillot, general secretary of Force Ouvrière, reading a joint statement with the rest of the worker organizations. The inter-union of metro and commuter train drivers in Paris has already announced an unlimited strike from that date.

“The union leaders are realizing that this strategy of large demonstrations does not bring results. They begin to think about how to promote a dynamic of unlimited strikes& rdquor ;, explains the historian Stéphane Sirot, a specialist in social movements. After a few first weeks marked by large festive mobilizations, the struggle between the unions and Macron seems to be heading towards a new, tougher phase.