According to the Home Office, 122 of the arrests occurred last night in that capital, the epicenter of demonstrations since Thursday, after Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the activation of 49.3 of the Constitution to adopt the law by bypassing the vote.in the National Assembly.
If the reform already had the rejection of parties and citizens and the unanimous condemnation of the unions, protagonists of massive demonstrations and strikes since mid-January, the decision to go to 49.3 fueled dissatisfaction.
The protests of the last few days have seen acts of violence and rioting, with property damage and clashes with the police, to the point that the day before a mobilization was canceled by its organizers in the presence of people wearing the so-called “bloque black”, often responsible for vandalism.
While government spokesmen, including Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, have dismissed the violence, opposition and union leaders accuse the executive of further heating up the atmosphere by pushing through an unpopular reform they say was unjustified because it financially balances a pension system in the crisis.
The initiative culminates in the extension of the statutory retirement age from 62 to 64, the increase in the contribution period and the abolition of special regulations for some professions and jobs.
“Nothing should come as a surprise when Parliament is violated and riots break out. The first person responsible for everything is the government. This is unacceptable,” La Francia Insumisa MP Eric Coquerel told Franceinfo.
In addition to the demonstrations and rallies, strikes continued on French soil in sectors such as transport, energy and waste collection.
Train traffic has improved over the weekend compared to the days before, while refinery workers respond to a strike that is currently not causing major fuel supply problems, and thousands of tons of rubbish continue to accumulate in Paris despite the government’s decision to be part of the strikers requisition.
rgh/wmr