Status: 03/23/2023 1:07 pm
Up to 800,000 protesters are expected on the streets of France today – and for many it’s more than pension reform. Some of the anger rose after the president’s recent appearance.
By Julia Borutta, ARD Studio Paris
Chaos at Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris. Protesters blocked access roads to Terminal 1. Travelers try to leave the site on foot and drag their bags along arterial roads because there are almost no S-Bahn trains or buses. Long traffic jams form around the airport and some drivers’ nerves are already on edge by morning.
WDR Logo Julia Borutta ARD Studio Paris
About half of TGV connections are canceled today. There are also significantly fewer trains than usual on local transport. Since President Emmanuel Macron was adamant in his television interview yesterday, anger has risen again, Mustapha Zoufir of the CFDT trade union in southern France told a local reporter. from BFMTV.
we are nervous With article 49.3, he denied democracy. So he puts himself on the television and throws oil on the fire. Let’s go ahead and show our displeasure to the president to withdraw the reform. We will not give up.
“The fronts here are fully hardened”, Sabine Rau, ARD Paris on the ongoing protests in France
Tagesschau 12:00, 23.3.2023
Strikes also at garbage collection and elementary schools
There is also a strike at the garbage dump. Only one in four of Total’s refineries is still operational, others have had to cut production. About 15% of the country’s gas stations are already short of at least one fuel. Kerosene is also becoming scarce. And according to the Snuipp-FSU union, 40 to 50 percent of primary school teachers are on strike.
The government hopes this will be the last major clash in the anti-reform movement, but that is far from certain. Norbert Meler, mayor of the small town of Foix, south of Toulouse, said: “The president’s statements yesterday didn’t exactly arouse enthusiasm. Our fellow citizens are speaking out against pension reform, but their anger runs much deeper.”
It is the question of how to make ends meet at the end of the month, according to Meler. It is also about public service, about health. Everything has become difficult in the country. “So it’s about something much bigger.”
Up to 800,000 protesters are expected
Police expect 600,000 to 800,000 protesters across the country today. In many places there are spontaneous blockages of streets, tracks or entrances. In the afternoon, the protest march in Paris should start moving. It is located between Bastille and Place Opera, in the heart of one of the most touristic areas of the capital. This square is small and there is great concern that there may be clashes with the police there at night.
The head of the moderate CFDT union, Laurent Berger, once again condemned possible excesses, but said the government was responsible. “We’ll do everything to make sure everything goes well,” he says. “But we don’t have everything under control either. We warn you that if you don’t listen to people, the mood can become explosive. You have to listen to people’s bitterness. The moment the anger erupts, it will be difficult.”
Only 5,000 police will be on duty in Paris. In an interview with RTL this morning, Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt said he wanted to resume social dialogue. Other important laws related to work were waiting to be debated together. It’s about working conditions and training people. It is unlikely that he will be able to convey this message today.
Ninth day of strikes and protests against pension reform in France
Julia Borutta, ARD Paris, March 23, 2023 12:20 pm