03/20/2023
Partial strikes continue in France after the fourth night of demonstrations, in which hundreds were arrested over altercations and the burning of street furniture.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday (19.03.2023) his intention to “go all out” with the pension reform, which raises the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64, despite the tense social and political climate for their approval. without a vote at the meeting.
French Presidency sources sent the news to the media on the eve of the two no-confidence motions the Macron-appointed government faces from 15:00 GMT, whose approval will depend on the vote of the 61 MPs from the split Conservative party.
“After months of political and social negotiations, with more than 170 hours of debate, ending with a text agreed between Senate and Parliament, the President of the Republic expressed to the leaders of both chambers his wish that the pension text be adopted by the end of their democratic journey under Respect for all,” the note said.
The reform was approved last Thursday the 16th through the application of Article 49.3, a legal source that allows a bill to be carried out without a vote in the Assembly and that the Executive took action because, due to the division of the Parliament was not guaranteed an absolute majority Conservatives The Republicans (LR).
The new pension plan, which Macron is trying to use to balance state finances, will come into effect if the government survives the two motions and possible appeals to the Constitutional Council.
Macron expressed concern at the denunciations of dozens of pro-government MPs who claim to have suffered verbal and physical threats for backing the unpopular reform. He also called for “all means” to be used to protect the threatened MPs.
For the fourth night in a row, some cities in France announced demonstrations. The one in Paris, which passed without incident in the Forum Les Halles area, resulted in at least six arrests, and the one in Marseille, which led to charges by riot police, resulted in a dozen.
30% of flights from Orly-Paris airport have been canceled for this Monday and 20% of flights from Marseille airport due to strikes by air traffic controllers.
Trains are also hit. 4 of the 5 high-speed lines circulate; two-thirds of the regional TERs; and 60% of Inter Cities. In Paris, too, the S-Bahn does not run normally.
Several refineries remain blocked, including Le Havre, the largest in the country. Although no consolidated data is available yet, several petrol stations in the Lyon and Marseille region are already suffering from fuel shortages.
gs (efe, afp)
Strikes in France: Paris sinks into rubbish
weeks of protests
Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in France for weeks to protest against the government’s planned pension reform. On Wednesday afternoon (March 15, 2023) people gathered to protest, like here in Paris.
Strikes in France: Paris sinks into rubbish
The majority is against Macron’s plans
Raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 could be particularly difficult for people with physically demanding jobs. Public sector workers are on strike. In many cities, garbage has not been collected for over a week. In the streets of the capital Paris alone, more than seven tons of garbage are already accumulated.
Strikes in France: Paris sinks into rubbish
Rats in tourist places
Rats are everywhere, says Aphaia Samios from the AFP news agency in a café overlooking mountains of rubbish: “It’s disgusting. Some people hardly come into their house.” “I wanted to go on a romantic trip with my boyfriend,” says one German tourist, but the trash ruins the city’s charm. Mark from the US complains: “It’s unsanitary and not good for tourism.”
Strikes in France: Paris sinks into rubbish
Reform against the will of the people?
About 70 percent of the French reject the reform. The socialist mayor Anne Hildago also supports the strikers. Hidalgo supports people’s demands. On Monday he said: “If this affects people who work in the public sector, but also employees of private companies, then I say to the government: talk to them!”
Strikes in France: Paris sinks into rubbish
Garbage truck stopped
It is not yet clear when the garbage trucks can leave their parking lot at the waste incineration plant in Ivry-sur-Seine. Natacha Pommet, general secretary of the CGT, sees the government as responsible for the strike: “The problem is that we have a government that is determined to implement a reform that most people do not agree with,” she says.
Strikes in France: Paris sinks into rubbish
hardened fronts
Public sector employees want to go on strike until at least next Monday (03/20/2022). Meanwhile, a mediation committee is meeting in Parliament. The Senate has already approved the reform. Macron avoided Thursday’s last vote in Parliament by passing a constitutional article allowing approval without a vote.