Pensions: renewed mobilization and tensions, new day of action on Tuesday

After a ninth day of mobilization on Thursday, during which demonstrators took to the streets in droves and despite renewed violence and tension, the unions are continuing the standoff with the executive with a new day of action on Tuesday to obtain the withdrawal of the highly contested pension reform

Pensions: renewed mobilization and tensions, new day of action on Tuesday

After a ninth day of mobilization on Thursday, during which demonstrators took to the streets in droves and despite renewed violence and tension, the unions are continuing the standoff with the executive with a new day of action on Tuesday to obtain the withdrawal of the highly contested pension reform.

The day after an intervention by the President of the Republic which bristled the opponents, the day of inter-union actions was the first organized in all of France after the adoption of the law via the constitutional weapon of 49.3.

Between 1.089 million demonstrators (Interior) and 3.5 million (CGT) marched in more than 300 cities.

While scuffles were still taking place, particularly in Paris, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, pointing to the responsibility of the "far left" in the clashes and violence that punctuated several parades, reported shortly before 10:00 p.m. 149 gendarmes and police officers injured, and 172 people arrested in France. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne judged "unacceptable" the "violence and degradation".

Determined not to "turn the page", the inter-union called at the start of the evening for "a new big day of strikes and demonstrations on Tuesday March 28 all over the country" and for local union rallies this weekend.

Earlier, the secretary general of the CFDT Laurent Berger had welcomed a "renewed mobilization" and called for "non-violence", in order to "keep public opinion to the end".

At his side, his CGT counterpart Philippe Martinez had estimated that Emmanuel Macron had "thrown a can of gasoline on the fire" with his interview, recalling that the unions had written to the Head of State to alert him to the "explosive situation" of the country.

In Paris, where participation reached new records, both according to the CGT (800,000) and Beauvau (119,000), violence quickly broke out at the head of the procession: cobblestones, bottles and fireworks thrown at the forces of order, broken windows and bus shelters and trash fires.

The police headquarters has identified about "1,500 thugs" in the capital.

In Nantes and Rennes too, clashes violently opposed demonstrators to the police, who used tear gas and water cannons. In Lorient (Morbihan), the police station was targeted.

More or less strong tensions were also noted in Toulouse, Lille, Dijon or Bordeaux where in the evening, the entrance to the town hall where King Charles III was to be received on Tuesday, was set on fire.

These incidents were immediately denounced by the right, like the president of the Republicans Eric Ciotti denouncing "thugs (who) want terror".

Conversely, the left underlined the extent of the social mobilization, "the largest since May 1968" for the leader of the Insoumis Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

The figures from the authorities attested to a clear rebound compared to the previous day of mobilization, with 12,400 people in Strasbourg, 14,800 in Rouen, and 18,000 in Montpellier. In Marseille, the unions counted 280,000 people and the prefecture 16,000.

In the processions, determination and anger were palpable with a lot of resentment vis-à-vis the head of state.

In Strasbourg, Nathalie Cholley, a 47-year-old caregiver, came to "defend" her future but also "to protest against Emmanuel Macron's policy and his contempt".

In Brest, Aurélia Vaillant, 44, restaurateur, assures that she "will go all the way". "There is too much at stake to stop now", said this woman who felt "despised" by the intervention of the Head of State.

On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron had not deviated from his course, reaffirming that his reform was "necessary", describing the perpetrators of violence as "factious".

The union leaders denounced in unison the "contempt" and "denial" of the head of state, who arrived in Brussels on Thursday for a European council.

During this time, the strikes caused many disruptions, especially in transport. At the SNCF, only half of the TGV Inoui and Ouigo and a third of the TER were circulating, while the RATP reported "very disrupted" traffic.

A few dozen people also burst into Roissy airport, blocking access to terminal 1 for an hour before being dislodged calmly. Faced with the risk of a fuel shortage, the government issued a requisition order for the strikers at the TotalEnergies refinery in Normandy.

Monuments have also been closed, including the Eiffel Tower or the Palace of Versailles.

In National Education, the ministry counted 23.22% of strikers in primary education and 19.61% in secondary education.

The agitation has also won over part of the youth. The ministry reported Thursday afternoon "148 incidents in high schools in France" including 38 blockages. Universities have also been blocked. Including the unrevolutionary Faculty of Law of Assas.

Ahead of this ninth day, a source close to the government still hoped that the mobilization "withered" after Thursday, and that everything was back to normal "this weekend". Instead, local union rallies will be organized to wait before a 10th day of mobilization on Tuesday.

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03/23/2023 22:20:22 -         Paris (AFP) -         © 2023 AFP