More than 1 million take to the streets in France against Macron’s reforms

About 1.27 million people took to the streets in France this Tuesday (31.Jan.2023) on the 2nd day of the general strike against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform proposal, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The CGT (General Confederation of Work) estimates around 2.8 million protesters across the country.

This is the biggest mobilization against a pension reform since October 2010, when 1.23 million people took to the streets.

Even with the high presence of protesters in the streets, the number of professionals who failed to show up for work on the 2nd day of the general strike is lower than the 1st.

According to the Ministry of Public Service, on January 19, 28% of the state civil service was on strike. Today, it was 19.4%. The rate of teachers on strike also declined. The Ministry of National Education recorded 25.9% of the category on strike. 10 days ago, it was 38.5%.

The demonstrations, which were already scheduled for this Tuesday (31.jan), paralyzed several sectors of the country, such as transport, energy and schools.

According to the newspaper Le Figarosome companies that transport between cities did not operate. Buses and subways were also affected. Many operated at reduced capacity and only during peak hours.

According to the French newspaper, 23 people were arrested during the protests.

According to the CGT, the number of people in the capital on Tuesday (31.jan.2023) was 500 thousand against 400 thousand registered on the 1st day

In your profile on twitterthe CGT called for new protests against the reform that are expected to take place on February 7th and 11th.

1st protest

On January 19, around 1.1 million people took to the streets across France, according to the country’s Ministry of the Interior. The trade union confederation CGT (General Confederation of Work) estimates that the number of participants in the movement has surpassed 2 million. The stoppages mainly affected tourist spots and transport.

The acts were recorded in at least 9 cities: Paris, Toulouse, Marseille, Nantes, Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier, Tours, Nice and Lyon.

Social Security Reform

The acts are against the government’s proposal to Emmanuel Macron for raise the retirement age in 62 years to 64 years by 2030.

The project was presented on January 10 by the French Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, and approved by the Council of Ministers on January 23. The French government’s goal is for it to take effect in September 2023. The text, which has already received the approval of the Council of Ministers and should be debated in Parliament in early February.

According to Macron, “the goal [da reforma] is to bolster our prepaid pension schemes that would otherwise be at risk as we continue to finance with credit.” Here’s the full of the proposal, in French (966 KB).

To implement the new retirement rules, the process will be gradual. The legal minimum age must be 63 years and 3 months in 2027 and will reach 64 years in 2030.

The contribution period will also gradually increase by 3 months. Thus, the minimum age will increase from 42 years to 43 years by 2027.