'Pension reform is an insult': More than a million protesters take to streets in France
More than a million people took to the streets of France on Thursday, on the first day of what unions have claimed will be the 'mother of all battles' against pension reform. The Local spoke to the demonstrators about their demands and how long they think the strikes will last.
Thursday marked the "first day of mobilisation" in the battle against Emmanuel Macron's planned reform of the French pension system, with strikes that brought large parts of the national rail network and city public transport to a halt.
In addition to the strikes, demonstrations took place in towns and cities around France, as people marched declaring their opposition to the proposed changes, which includes raising the pension age from 62 to 64.
5 minutes to understand French pension reform
Early estimates of turnout were 36,000 people in Toulouse, 26,000 in Marseille, 25,000 in Nantes, 19,000 in Clermont-Ferrand, 15,000 in Montpellier, 14,000 in Tours, 12,000 in Perpignan and Orléans, 6,500 in Mulhouse and Périgueux, 13,600 in Pau, 9,000 in Angoulême and 8,000 in Châteauroux.
In total, the interior ministry said there were around 1.1 people on the street across France, although the hardline CGT union claimed over 2 million demonstrators had turned up. Unions had called for 1 million people to protest on Thursday.
READ ALSO Do French unions still have the power to force a government U-turn?
In Paris, tens of thousands of protesters met at Place de la République before marching to Nation.
In response to President Macron’s proposed pension reforms (including raising the minimum age to 64), French unions have called for a day of widespread mobilisation. I’ll be tweeting live from the start of the rally at Republique in Paris pic.twitter.com/bvFTtpYY75
— Genevieve Mansfield (@gen_mansfield) January 19, 2023
Civil servant Sarah, 28, told us: "I think the pension reform is profoundly unjust - it is a political choice to favour the big businesses and make the employees work more.
"I think that the French really suffered during the pandemic, and to put this reform back on the table is an insult to the French people. I think the French are angry. I hope people will protest the same as in 2019."
However she added that there was a generational divide in views about pension reform, saying: "The people under 50 are very against the reform, but the over 50s just repeat the government’s talking points. They say that there is not enough money for everyone without actually questioning and reflecting about the budget of the country."
Listen to the team at The Local discussing the next steps of the pension protests on our Talking France podcast. Listen on the link below or download HERE.
School teacher Charles, who also described himself as a "revolutionary and anarchist" said: "I will certainly continue to strike, and to turn up at demos, but the strike is the important thing. In France we have had many major strikes - such as those in 1968 - which have allowed us to advance social reforms.
"This demo is the biggest I have been to in the last two years. I think that people are fed up with inflation and they are turning out because they think we have a chance of winning."
Marc, who has worked as a haulier for 25 years, said the changes were particularly dangerous for his industry, as "our reflexes diminish as we get older".
The UNSA transport union was present among those lined up ahead of the march. Marc, who has worked as a truck driver for over 25 years talked about the fact that many drivers have their reflexes diminish after age 60. pic.twitter.com/BQiwj9aTlJ
— Genevieve Mansfield (@gen_mansfield) January 19, 2023
"I have a 44-tonne truck that goes at 80km/h - Emmanuel Macron wants to put, on the French roads, people who are older than 60 in charge of trucks knowing that our reflexes diminish significantly at a certain age.
He added: "We will need a general mobilisation, of all generations, the young and the non-young, workers and the retired. There is a bit of support, but not enough. We hope that students will join us, because there will definitely be another reform, and they will go higher than 65."
Didier, 68, is already retired so won't be directly touched by the reform, but the former 'yellow vest' said he had come to the protest to support the next generation.
He said: "I have been protesting for the last four years, and I will continue until Macron and others leave."
But he bemoaned the apathy of a younger generation saying: "For many people their priority is just to stay home and watch the football. It's sad but that's how it is.
"I don't think the unions will win this fight, they will sit down with the government and sell out. It's sad to say but that is what will happen."
Police officer Christophe, currently working in an administrative role for the Police nationale, was among the protesters.
He said: "We do not have the right to strike as police, but if we are not heard today then yes we will protest and maybe take other actions in the future.
"As police, what is happening on the street is more difficult than ever and for sure we cannot work past the age of 60, it is not possible to be on the beat after that age.
"At the moment I think there is strong support for the protests, but once the daily life of French people is impacted, it's true there might not be support - you know, no trains, no people to watch the kids - but we have to see things as a whole. After all, everyone is impacted by the pension reform."
Student Léo, from Toulouse, said: "For the moment I think the majority of people support this action. And many people support us “blocking the country” - we're all going to be touched by Macron’s reforms, except for the big bosses.
"The government defends only the interests of the bosses and we are tens of thousand here to fight against this together.
"We need a strong strike to combat this," he added calling for a 'grève generale' or general strike continuing indefinitely."
Around the Bastille area of Paris, radical demonstrators hurled bottles, bins and smoke grenades at police who responded with tear gas and charged to disperse the troublemakers, according to AFP journalists at the scene.
Les groupes de black-blocs saccagent les abribus l’un après l’autre bvd Diderot #Blackbloc #Manif19Janvier pic.twitter.com/0cDvTZYmyd
— Elisabeth Pierson (@zazpierson) January 19, 2023
Some 30 people were arrested, mostly members of the Black Blocs, who wore masks, helmets and black clothes, police said, adding they had managed to split off the group from the main demonstration.
No major violent incidents were reported elsewhere in France.
On Thursday evening, unions announced that a second day of mass strikes would take place on Tuesday, January 31st.
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Thursday marked the "first day of mobilisation" in the battle against Emmanuel Macron's planned reform of the French pension system, with strikes that brought large parts of the national rail network and city public transport to a halt.
In addition to the strikes, demonstrations took place in towns and cities around France, as people marched declaring their opposition to the proposed changes, which includes raising the pension age from 62 to 64.
5 minutes to understand French pension reform
Early estimates of turnout were 36,000 people in Toulouse, 26,000 in Marseille, 25,000 in Nantes, 19,000 in Clermont-Ferrand, 15,000 in Montpellier, 14,000 in Tours, 12,000 in Perpignan and Orléans, 6,500 in Mulhouse and Périgueux, 13,600 in Pau, 9,000 in Angoulême and 8,000 in Châteauroux.
In total, the interior ministry said there were around 1.1 people on the street across France, although the hardline CGT union claimed over 2 million demonstrators had turned up. Unions had called for 1 million people to protest on Thursday.
READ ALSO Do French unions still have the power to force a government U-turn?
In Paris, tens of thousands of protesters met at Place de la République before marching to Nation.
In response to President Macron’s proposed pension reforms (including raising the minimum age to 64), French unions have called for a day of widespread mobilisation. I’ll be tweeting live from the start of the rally at Republique in Paris pic.twitter.com/bvFTtpYY75
— Genevieve Mansfield (@gen_mansfield) January 19, 2023
Civil servant Sarah, 28, told us: "I think the pension reform is profoundly unjust - it is a political choice to favour the big businesses and make the employees work more.
"I think that the French really suffered during the pandemic, and to put this reform back on the table is an insult to the French people. I think the French are angry. I hope people will protest the same as in 2019."
However she added that there was a generational divide in views about pension reform, saying: "The people under 50 are very against the reform, but the over 50s just repeat the government’s talking points. They say that there is not enough money for everyone without actually questioning and reflecting about the budget of the country."
Listen to the team at The Local discussing the next steps of the pension protests on our Talking France podcast. Listen on the link below or download HERE.
School teacher Charles, who also described himself as a "revolutionary and anarchist" said: "I will certainly continue to strike, and to turn up at demos, but the strike is the important thing. In France we have had many major strikes - such as those in 1968 - which have allowed us to advance social reforms.
"This demo is the biggest I have been to in the last two years. I think that people are fed up with inflation and they are turning out because they think we have a chance of winning."
Marc, who has worked as a haulier for 25 years, said the changes were particularly dangerous for his industry, as "our reflexes diminish as we get older".
The UNSA transport union was present among those lined up ahead of the march. Marc, who has worked as a truck driver for over 25 years talked about the fact that many drivers have their reflexes diminish after age 60. pic.twitter.com/BQiwj9aTlJ
— Genevieve Mansfield (@gen_mansfield) January 19, 2023
"I have a 44-tonne truck that goes at 80km/h - Emmanuel Macron wants to put, on the French roads, people who are older than 60 in charge of trucks knowing that our reflexes diminish significantly at a certain age.
He added: "We will need a general mobilisation, of all generations, the young and the non-young, workers and the retired. There is a bit of support, but not enough. We hope that students will join us, because there will definitely be another reform, and they will go higher than 65."
Didier, 68, is already retired so won't be directly touched by the reform, but the former 'yellow vest' said he had come to the protest to support the next generation.
He said: "I have been protesting for the last four years, and I will continue until Macron and others leave."
But he bemoaned the apathy of a younger generation saying: "For many people their priority is just to stay home and watch the football. It's sad but that's how it is.
"I don't think the unions will win this fight, they will sit down with the government and sell out. It's sad to say but that is what will happen."
Police officer Christophe, currently working in an administrative role for the Police nationale, was among the protesters.
He said: "We do not have the right to strike as police, but if we are not heard today then yes we will protest and maybe take other actions in the future.
"As police, what is happening on the street is more difficult than ever and for sure we cannot work past the age of 60, it is not possible to be on the beat after that age.
"At the moment I think there is strong support for the protests, but once the daily life of French people is impacted, it's true there might not be support - you know, no trains, no people to watch the kids - but we have to see things as a whole. After all, everyone is impacted by the pension reform."
Student Léo, from Toulouse, said: "For the moment I think the majority of people support this action. And many people support us “blocking the country” - we're all going to be touched by Macron’s reforms, except for the big bosses.
"The government defends only the interests of the bosses and we are tens of thousand here to fight against this together.
"We need a strong strike to combat this," he added calling for a 'grève generale' or general strike continuing indefinitely."
Around the Bastille area of Paris, radical demonstrators hurled bottles, bins and smoke grenades at police who responded with tear gas and charged to disperse the troublemakers, according to AFP journalists at the scene.
Les groupes de black-blocs saccagent les abribus l’un après l’autre bvd Diderot #Blackbloc #Manif19Janvier pic.twitter.com/0cDvTZYmyd
— Elisabeth Pierson (@zazpierson) January 19, 2023
Some 30 people were arrested, mostly members of the Black Blocs, who wore masks, helmets and black clothes, police said, adding they had managed to split off the group from the main demonstration.
No major violent incidents were reported elsewhere in France.
On Thursday evening, unions announced that a second day of mass strikes would take place on Tuesday, January 31st.
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