The streets respond to Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform. This morning dozens of people with banners and emblems of the General Confederation of Labor have occupied some peripheral roads of Paris since early in the morning. These mobilizations come after a day in which thousands of people have come out to demonstrate in various parts of the country. Riots have broken out in Paris.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin indicated that although “there were no serious incidents” because there were no serious injuries, the forces of order had to act and carried out 310 arrests, of which 258 in Paris.
The minister explained that in Rennes, Albi, Marseille or Paris, some of those who participated in these spontaneous demonstrations tried to attack official buildings and representative offices of politicians from the Macron bloc.
In the capital there were scenes of barricades and fires with the mountains of garbage that have accumulated in half of the city’s districts due to the strike of the collection workers for ten days.
In this regard, the head of the Interior explained that the Prefecture of Paris (government delegation) has activated the obligation to work for some of these strikers for health reasons, after a scuffle with the socialist mayoress, Anne Hidalgo, who had refused To do it.
Regarding the garbage collection strike, “what is not acceptable is unsanitary conditions,” and “since the mayoress has not wanted to assume her responsibilities,” the prefecture has done so, he explained.
France has adopted the pension reform by decree because the government of President Emmanuel Macron did not have a sufficient majority of deputies.
Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced this Thursday that the Government was invoking article 49.3 of the Constitution to implement the controversial pension reform that increases the retirement age from 62 to 64 without the need for the text to be approved by the National Assembly. The same day the Senate had given its approval to the law.
France was already experiencing strikes in different sectors that caused disruptions in the country in response to the president’s measure.
In addition to the reaction of the population, the measure has been responded to by legislators singing La Marseillaise. Several groups have announced a motion of no confidence, which has to be presented throughout this Friday. Macron has already faced several but has always emerged unscathed due to the lack of cohesion of the groups to his right and left.