The French came out to protest the raising of the retirement age. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, there are about 1.12 million people on the streets.
In France, members of the largest unions in the country organized strikes and strikes against pension reform. On Thursday, January 19, he reported on Le Figaro.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, 1.12 million people took to the streets across the country, of which 80,000 were in Paris. Unions called on the French to protest the government’s pension reform, which set the retirement age at 64.
In addition to demonstrations, protest was expressed in strikes, particularly in transport, schools and the civil service. In other words, in many cities, the work of urban transportation is paralyzed, and trains are delayed. In addition, some schools and factories did not work today. It was reported that 28% of the civil servants participating in the strike did not come to work.
Some clashes, tensions or damage with police were reported in Paris, Lyon and Rennes.
Macron hopes demonstrations happen ‘without riots and violence’
It should be noted that on the day of the demonstration, French President Emmanuel Macron was on a working trip to Barcelona. He expressed the importance that everyone’s views are taken into account there and expressed his hope that the action would take place without clashes with the police.
“I am confident that the organizers of the demonstrations will ensure that these legitimate differences of opinion pass without major inconvenience to our citizens, without extremism, violence and harm. There are rules for the proper functioning of democracy,” Macron said.
Macron’s campaign promise
Pension reform in France is one of Macron’s campaign promises. The reform is based on increasing the retirement age from 62 to 64. It is planned to increase the minimum period for employee contributions to the pension fund to 43 years and the minimum pension amount to 1,200 Euros per month.
At the same time, unions and left-wing politicians believe that the government’s measures will deal a blow to the working class of France. Unions say the planned changes will be particularly painful for people who start early and whose life expectancy is below the French average.
Recall that the Ukrainian experts said that Russia could not train and provide the mobilized ones. This is covered in a new article. Focus “When will the new mobilization begin in Russia and will there be protests”, It is dedicated to a possible new wave of mobilization in the Russian Federation.
Earlier, on January 8, supporters of Jair Bolsonaro staged a protest where they seized government buildings. Demonstrators infiltrated the Planalto Palace, where incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva now lives, which is the presidential residence as well as the National Convention and Supreme Court.
Source: Focus
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