France faces 10th day of protests against pension reform
This Tuesday (28th) France has the 10th round protests against the social security reform passed by the government of liberal President Emmanuel Macron, which seeks to resolve the increasingly violent social conflict, but without considering repealing the unpopular law.
The demonstrations began peacefully in the morning with large crowds in several cities. But the tensions increased during a mostly peaceful march in the French capital with a clash between police and ultraleftists who threw projectiles and other objects at police.
1 of 15 A protester is pushed by police during a protest against pension reforms in France March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes 2 of 15 French firefighters march in Paris during a protest against pension reforms in France March 28, 2023 . March 2023 Photo: Portal/Nacho Doce 3 of 15 car is set on fire in Rennes during a protest against pension reform in France March 28, 2023 Photo: Ewen Bazin via Portal 4 of 15 protesters run ahead of the police in Paris during a protest against pension reform in France March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Nacho Doce Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes 6 of 15 protesters hold a French flag as they marched during a protest against pension reform in France March 28 the Statue at Place de la Nation in Paris March 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes 7 of 15 A masked protester attends a pr Protest against pension reform in France part — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes 8 of 15 protesters climb the roof of a residential building in Paris during a protest against pension reform in France March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes 9 of 15 Demonstrators face police in Paris during a protest against France’s pension reform March 28, 2023 — Photo : Portal/Nacho Doce 10 of 15 Masked protester takes part in a protest in Paris against France’s pension reform March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes 11 of 15 Masked protesters are seen in front of a burning car during a fire Protest in Nantes against pension reforms in France, March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Stephane Mahe 12 of 15 protesters protect themselves at a protest in Nantes c against the pension reform in France, March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Stephane Mahe 13 of 15 protesters protect themselves with umbrellas at a m Protest in Nantes against France’s pension reform, March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Stephane Mahe 14 of 15 A firefighter tries to douse the flames of a burning car during a protest in Nantes, March 28, 2023 against France’s pension reform control — Photo: Portal/Stephane Mahe 15 of 15 demonstrators clash with police during a protest in Paris against pension reform in France, March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes
Demonstrators clash with police on the 10th day of protests in the country
Since January 19, the day of the first demonstration, the demonstrators have managed to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people (3.5 million on March 7 and 23, according to the CGT union) in large peaceful protests, but without success in convincing the government.
That’s what the union headquarters are asking pensionwhich raises the retirement age from 2030 and brings the obligation to pay contributions forward by 43 years (rather than the current 42) to 2027 so that the worker is entitled to a full pension.
Laurent Berger, leader of the CFDT union, said he would accept Negotiatebut only if the government suspends reform, specifically raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Macron and Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced this ready to talk with the unions, which have been leading the protests since January but have not backed their calls for the government to abandon the reform.
13,000 agents
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced an “unprecedented security device” for this Tuesday 13,000 agents in the country and warned of the presence in Paris of “more than 1000 radicalspartly from abroad”.
The authorities expected 650,000 to 900,000 protestersS. The CGT union reported a Decrease in the number of protesters from Paris on Tuesday after a record 800,000 five days earlier. Official figures, always much lower, were not immediately available.
Trains were delayed across the country. According to the operator RATP, public transport in the capital registered “disruptions”.
explosive situation
Protests have taken various forms in recent weeks: thousands tons of garbage accumulated in the streets of Paris, Storage and refinery locks As a result, among other things, 15% of the filling stations remained without fuel.
the website of eiffel tower announced that the strikers had closed the worldfamous tourist attraction. O Louvre Museum it was also closed on Monday due to strikes.
Workers in Paris have announced they will end their threeweek strike. The CGT union, which organized the strikes, said in a statement that workers would return to their workplaces on Wednesday (29) to collect the accumulated rubbish.
The demonstrations on the 23rd ended with 457 arrested and 441 police officers and security guards were injured, most of them in the unrest that broke out after the demonstrations, which authorities said drew more than a million people across the country.
Macron’s decision to take over the project by decree, fearing defeat in the parliamentary vote, and his refusal to back down provoked the radicalization of the protestswith disturbances registered since March 16th.
Pending the Constitutional Council’s decision on the validity of the reform, the government is attempting to put aside other priorities such as health and education and trying to guarantee a stable majority in parliament.
The unions had drawn Macron’s attention to this a few weeks ago explosive situation that would be registered if the government did not take into account the uneasiness caused by the reform, which polls show are opposed by more than twothirds of French people.
Unions call for the tenth day of protests and strikes in France
1 of 1 A protester sets fire to a dustbin during a protest against pension reform in France in Paris March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes A protester sets fire to a dustbin in Paris during a protest against pension reform Social security in France, on March 28, 2023 — Photo: Portal/Gonzalo Fuentes