After the French government passed a bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, bypassing the House of Representatives vote, opposition protests intensified in major French cities.
According to foreign media such as CNN on the 16th (local time), French President Emmanuel Macron decided to invoke Article 49, Paragraph 3 of the French Constitution, which allows forcibly enacting a pension reform bill without a parliamentary vote. In response, French trade unions called for new protests.
“By relying on Article 49.3 of the Constitution, the government shows that there is not a majority to approve the two-year deferment of the legal retirement age,” Laurent Bergé, secretary-general of the CFDT, which is classified as moderate, wrote on social media. CGT union leader Philippe Martinez also called for more strikes and protests.
In the midst of this, protests were held in major cities such as Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, with opposition unions and civic groups fiercely protesting. Thousands of protesters gathered in the Place de la Concorde near the Paris Parliament, lit bonfires, set fire to street trash and smashed windows. Local police said 120 people were detained.
In the bill, the contents of the original bill remained intact, such as raising the pension age (retirement age) from 62 to 64 by 2030 and extending the insurance premium payment period from 42 to 43 years. However, a Republican amendment was included to pay pension bonuses to women who combine work and childcare.
The bill met overwhelming opposition. Large-scale protests have been held regularly across France since mid-January, with millions voicing their opposition to the government’s plan. Mass strikes hit transport and education, and in Paris, uncollected garbage piled up on the streets. The government has maintained a tough stance, saying it cannot negotiate on the biggest issue, the extension of the retirement age.
Previously, in his New Year’s address earlier this year, President Macron said, “This year will be the year of pension reform. We aim to balance our (pensions) system in the coming decades.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.