Emmanuel Macron faces a new day of national strikes and demonstrations this Thursday, following the parliamentary struggle that ended on Monday with the passage of the unpopular pension reform. Trade unions and the opposition want to show that the movement is far from exhausted after a week of political and social tensions. And that, on the contrary, it can be expanded and poses an even greater challenge to the President of the Republic.
More than three hundred demonstrations and strikes in key sectors such as energy, transport and education are being called across France. It is the ninth day of strikes and demonstrations since the government presented the law in January. The previous eight have failed to deter Macron in his efforts to raise the retirement age in France from 62 to 64.
But the day of this Thursday has something else. It is the first in days that the demonstrations have plunged France into a political and social crisis, the only recent precedent of which is the 2018 Yellow Vests revolt.
On March 16, Macron resorted to Article 49.3 of the Constitution after finding he lacked enough votes in the National Assembly to pass the law. This article allows a law to be passed without a vote. In return, the opposition can table a motion of no confidence and at the same time overthrow the government and annul the law. Both motions of no confidence tabled on Monday failed, although one was only nine votes short of a majority. The law was approved. The opinion of the Constitutional Court is now pending.
The end of the legislative process could mean the beginning of the end of the social movement due to exhaustion or resignation. But the speedy passage of the law (the opposition says there was a “denial of democracy”) has created new grounds for outrage against the president for many French people. It could be the prelude to an even greater challenge on the road.
Subscribe to EL PAÍS to follow all the news and read without limits.
subscribe to
Macron’s television interview on Wednesday did little to calm things down. The President made no concessions to the demands. He said the “justified anger” expressed at the peaceful mass demonstrations needed to be heard, but added: “We will not tolerate any encroachment.”
The President’s words were a warning to protagonists against clashes in Paris and other cities since the application of Article 49.3 last week. The riots are a novelty in a previously peaceful movement. The NGO Amnesty International warns against “excessive use of force [por parte de la policía francesa] and abusive detentions”.
Follow all international information on Facebook and Twitteror in our weekly newsletter.
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits