On Tuesday, another wave of protests and strikes against the government’s pension reform project began in January. The French press describes the coming days as decisive for reform, both in parliament and on the streets.
The protests are led by a coalition of major trade unions and left-wing parties. This time they promise to “bring the French economy to its knees” with a renewable strike, which is due to start on Tuesday and continue in the following days.
Mass protests
According to data Ministry of the Interior, cited by “Le Figaro”, up to 1.4 million citizens may take to the streets. “Massive protests are looming. The goal of the unions is to surpass the record mobilization of January 31, when 1.2 million demonstrators took to the streets,” a government source said.
In addition to the demonstrations, trade unions are announcing strikes in many sectors of the economy, including refineries and ports. Already on Friday, the CGT trade union confederation reported that as a result of the actions of employees of the energy sector, electricity production in several nuclear power plants was reduced.
The elementary school union expects more than 60 percent of students to go on strike. teachers, and several thousand schools will be closed on Tuesday. “The mobilization must continue and already promises to be a very important Wednesday, March 8, as part of women’s rights day,” the union announced. “Besides, the fight must go on for the government to finally listen to reason and abandon its unacceptable project,” he added.
Problems also at major airports
Problems are also expected at the country’s major airports. On Thursday, France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) asked airlines to cancel some flights on Tuesday and Wednesday following a nationwide strike by the trade union.
In Paris alone, protests with tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected on Wednesday. They will also express their opposition in more than 150 cities across the country.
Disturbances to Paris metro and train services are also expected. Workers at both the French state railway operator (SNCF) and the capital’s transport manager (RATP) plan to take part in a renewable strike from Tuesday.
Protesters are also looking for support among young people. The left-wing 23-year-old MP Louis Boyard initiated the #blocuschallenge campaign on TikTok and Twitter (from the French word blocus – blockade), aimed at engaging young people in the protests.
Senate project
A draft reform to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 is currently being debated in the Senate, the upper house of the French parliament. The government and the president Emmanuel Macron argue that the reform of the pension system is necessary to maintain the solvency of the system. Polls show that two-thirds of French people are against the proposed changes.
Main photo source: EPA/TERESA SUAREZ