France faces another wave of widespread protests and strikes following an unproductive discussion between the prime minister and labor unions. The failure to reach a compromise on the unpopular pension reform, which extends the working years for individuals, has fueled two-and-a-half months of public discontent.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to protest on Thursday against Emmanuel Macron's pension reform to raise the minimum age from 62 to 64.
NOW - Protest at BlackRock head office in Paris.
— jamiemcintyre (@jamiemcintyre21) April 6, 2023
The Globalists are starting to run into some bother as the world awakens from its slumber #paris #blackrock #biden #us #France #Dollar #protests pic.twitter.com/jBv93gtvbh
Protests again grip France but Macron not backing down
— Mohamed Vevo (@MoH_Vevo_Mv) April 6, 2023
https://t.co/ObUxxNENKm pic.twitter.com/GAiNzzTs8K
Operation "Dead City"
— Hassan Mafi (@thatdayin1992) April 6, 2023
Protesters block major highways, universities, high schools, industrial areas, etc., as protests against Macron's pension reforms continue in France.
This is Lyon, France.pic.twitter.com/0V521MQD7O
France 🇫🇷
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) April 6, 2023
Protests continue to take place across France against Macron's pension reform (and many other issues). Just look at the scale of the protests in Toulouse.pic.twitter.com/4j368gEe0D
Trade union leaders met the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, on Wednesday, but after just an hour of talks -- they failed to find a comprise. The Guardian provides insight into some of those conversations:
Cyril Chabanier, speaking on behalf of France's eight main unions, said: "We again told the prime minister that the only democratic outcome would be the text's withdrawal. The prime minister replied that she wished to maintain the text, a serious decision."
Sophie Binet, the new leader of the CGT trade union, called for more protests and strikes after the failed talks with the prime minister:
"We have to continue mobilizing until the end, until the government understands there is no way out other than withdrawing this reform," Binet said.
Labor unions plan to keep pressure on the government until the Constitutional Council decides on the pension reform. They believe there's still a chance to block it from becoming law on April 14. If unions are unsuccessful, strikes will likely continue.
"We're in a social crisis, we have a democratic crisis, there is a problem, and the president has the solution in his hands," Laurent Berger, leader of the CFDT union, said on RTL radio.
Bloomberg cited a recent poll that shows most French people oppose pension reform.
And most French people support pension reform protests.
Meanwhile, Macron is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing today while France enters another round of mass protests.
France faces another wave of widespread protests and strikes following an unproductive discussion between the prime minister and labor unions. The failure to reach a compromise on the unpopular pension reform, which extends the working years for individuals, has fueled two-and-a-half months of public discontent.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to protest on Thursday against Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform to raise the minimum age from 62 to 64.
NOW – Protest at BlackRock head office in Paris.
The Globalists are starting to run into some bother as the world awakens from its slumber #paris #blackrock #biden #us #France #Dollar #protests pic.twitter.com/jBv93gtvbh
— jamiemcintyre (@jamiemcintyre21) April 6, 2023
Protests again grip France but Macron not backing down
https://t.co/ObUxxNENKm pic.twitter.com/GAiNzzTs8K— Mohamed Vevo (@MoH_Vevo_Mv) April 6, 2023
Operation “Dead City”
Protesters block major highways, universities, high schools, industrial areas, etc., as protests against Macron’s pension reforms continue in France.
This is Lyon, France.pic.twitter.com/0V521MQD7O
— Hassan Mafi (@thatdayin1992) April 6, 2023
France 🇫🇷
Protests continue to take place across France against Macron’s pension reform (and many other issues). Just look at the scale of the protests in Toulouse.pic.twitter.com/4j368gEe0D
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) April 6, 2023
Trade union leaders met the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, on Wednesday, but after just an hour of talks — they failed to find a comprise. The Guardian provides insight into some of those conversations:
Cyril Chabanier, speaking on behalf of France’s eight main unions, said: “We again told the prime minister that the only democratic outcome would be the text’s withdrawal. The prime minister replied that she wished to maintain the text, a serious decision.”
Sophie Binet, the new leader of the CGT trade union, called for more protests and strikes after the failed talks with the prime minister:
“We have to continue mobilizing until the end, until the government understands there is no way out other than withdrawing this reform,” Binet said.
Labor unions plan to keep pressure on the government until the Constitutional Council decides on the pension reform. They believe there’s still a chance to block it from becoming law on April 14. If unions are unsuccessful, strikes will likely continue.
“We’re in a social crisis, we have a democratic crisis, there is a problem, and the president has the solution in his hands,” Laurent Berger, leader of the CFDT union, said on RTL radio.
Bloomberg cited a recent poll that shows most French people oppose pension reform.
And most French people support pension reform protests.
Meanwhile, Macron is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing today while France enters another round of mass protests.
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