France is preparing to experience an intense day of strikes and demonstrations this Thursday, which could paralyze part of the country, for protest against government pension reform plan that will extend the minimum retirement age to 64.

The unions’ aim is for this to be the beginning of great mobilizations that will force Emmanuel Macron’s executive to back down with his plan, just as they did in 1995 when a pension reform project with the conservative president was withdrawn Jacques Chirac. pressure from the streets, despite the government’s absolute majority in Parliament.

Unions expect some 750,000 protesters across the country, and they estimate that there will be between 50,000 and 80,000 in Paris alone. In 1995, the concentration of two million people in a single day was the cause of the withdrawal of the executive reform project.

The president of the second largest economy in the European Union (EU) made this reform a cornerstone of his second term, especially when covid-19 forced him to suspend a first attempt in early 2020.

More than six in 10 people oppose it, according to an OpinionWay poll released Tuesday. 61% of respondents believe a reform is “necessary”, but it is not, and 58% support the protests.

country stopped

Much of the economy and services will come to a standstillwith major disruptions to rail services, the public transport network in the Paris region, education and public workers, as happened in late December with a massive railway strike.

A fifth of flights from Paris Orly airport will be canceled, as there will be partial shutdowns of controllersand there will also be a strike in the energy sector, particularly in refinery workers.

The government spokesman, Olivier Véran, asked on Wednesday that the union mobilization does not become a “blockade of the country”.

The interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, warned in radio statements of the possible arrival in Paris of a thousand people linked to the extreme left or to the more radical branch of the “yellow vests” who could lead to violent acts.

A total of 10,000 police officers will ensure that the day runs without incident across the country, as announced by the interior ministry.

This project, disclosed last week, received the frontal rejection of all trade unions and leftist partiesalways from the extreme right of Marine Le Pen, and could only receive the support of the conservative party The Republicans, which would be enough for its parliamentary approval.

The project

The government’s proposal provides for it raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030 and bring forward to 2027 the increase from 42 to 43 years of contributions in order to enjoy a full pension (so far planned for 2035).

The government insists that its proposal take into account those who started working before the age of 20 and also those who have to retire before the age of 64 for medical reasons.

For this reason it guarantees that 40% of future retirees can retire before the age of 64.

The Executive assures that the reform is necessary because otherwise it will generate a deficit in the pension system that would reach 12,500 million euros in 2030.

Instead, its detractors believe that the ultra-wealthy and capital gainers could be taxed for that money.

Source: EFE and AFP

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