How is the situation in France?
- Currently, tens of thousands of citizens are in the streets of the French capital, Paris, to protest against raising the retirement age.
- Other demonstrators are also marching along the railway tracks in Paris.
- In conjunction with the Paris demonstration, peaceful marches took place in other cities.
- The authorities deployed about 13,000 police officers to confront the protests, half of them in Paris, which the French Interior Ministry describes as “unprecedented.”
- About 20 universities in Paris, as well as educational institutions in Lyon, Nice and Toulouse, have closed their doors to students.
- This is the tenth day of union strikes against the state pension reform plan.
- The French Interior Ministry believes that more than 1,000 “extremist” rioters, some of them from abroad, could be infiltrated into the peaceful marches.
- The Paris Police Department announced the arrest of 18 people in the French capital for their involvement in violent acts on the sidelines of the demonstrations.
Macron’s demand for a “good gesture”
- France’s largest trade union called on Macron today to “stop” his plans to raise the retirement age.
- Laurent Berger, president of the French Democratic Union of Labor, urged Macron to make a “good gesture” to smooth things over.
- “It is necessary to stop this measure,” Berger said.
- He added that there had been some attempts to hold talks between union leaders and the government in recent days but they had failed.
What is the French government’s comment?
Government spokesman Olivier Veran said:
- We will not delay the implementation of the amendments to the retirement law.
- The government is ready to talk with the unions, but about other matters.
- We do not need mediation in order to negotiate with the authorities concerned with the retirement law.
- Demonstrations should not turn violent.
- We call on political parties and forces to condemn violence.
What you should know about the controversial retirement system
- Repair retirement system The one presented by Macron raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
- A system modification has been proposed the retirement to maintain its funding.
- I decided French government Passing the law and dodging a vote in Parliament last week.
- Opinion polls show that a wide majority of the French oppose the pension reform law and the government’s decision to pass its bill without a vote in Parliament.
- Collected protests Against the project huge and peaceful crowds at rallies organized by trade unions.
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