Violence has intensified in recent days in France at protests against the pension reform and his leadership
Protestors during a demonstration, a week after the government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, in Nantes Wednesday. Pic/AFP
Labor strikes upended travel in France on Thursday as French labor unions held their first mass demonstrations since President Emmanuel Macron inflamed public anger by forcing a higher retirement age through parliament without a vote. Protesters blockaded train stations, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and refineries. High-speed and regional trains, the Paris metro and public transportation systems in other major cities were disrupted. About 30% of flights at Paris Orly Airport were canceled.
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Thursday’s events were the ninth round of nationwide protests and strikes called by France’s eight main unions since January. Violence has intensified in recent days at scattered protests against the pension reform and Macron’s leadership. He is stubbornly resisting the discontent on the streets, and said Wednesday that the government’s bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 must be implemented by the end of the year.
Also read: Protests continue after pension plan push
Critics attacked Macron for the statement, describing him as “self-satisfied,” “out of touch” and “offensive.” Violence has intensified in recent days at scattered protests against the pension reform and Macron’s leadership, although the mass demonstrations started off in an orderly way.
The French government invoked a constitutional provision last week to get the pension bill adopted without the approval of lawmakers. The bill must now pass a review by France’s Constitutional Council before becoming law. Macron’s government survived two no-confidence votes in the lower chamber of parliament on Monday.
The 45-year-old centrist president, who is in his second and final term, repeatedly said he was convinced that France’s retirement system needed to be modified to keep it financed. Opponents proposed other solutions, including higher taxes on the wealthy or companies, which Macron says would hurt the economy.
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