Demonstrations, strikes, busy roundregardings: the unions are trying to put France “on a standstill” on Tuesday, a few days before a probable adoption by Parliament of the pension reform. Several actions have already started overnight from Monday to Tuesday.
A France at a standstill, “it’s obviously bad for our fellow citizens” and “the first to be penalized, when we have strikes, are the most modest French people”, criticized French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on France on Monday evening. 5.
Calling on French President Emmanuel Macron not to “remain deaf”, the general secretary of the CFDT union, Laurent Berger, predicted an “extremely powerful day of mobilization” on Monday.
On January 31, the unions had already claimed more than 2.5 million demonstrators throughout the country (1.27 million according to the authorities). According to a police source, between 1.1 and 1.4 million people are expected to take to the streets on Tuesday. The CGT union plans a total of 265 rallies.
Sixth day of action
The Solidaires union hopes for a “social tsunami” which will cause the government to back down on the emblematic measure of the reform, the postponement of the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 years old. Poll following poll, the French remain very largely opposed to this measure, even if they think that it will be implemented in fine.
This sixth day of action since the launch of the protest will mark the launch or continuation of renewable strikes in several sectors, from transport to refineries through energy, trade or waste.
The SNCF railway company and Parisian transport are planning very disrupted traffic on Tuesday but also on Wednesday. In the air, the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) has asked companies to reduce their flight schedules by 20 to 30% on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Road hauliers joined the movement, some as early as Sunday evening. In education, the Snuipp-FSU, the leading primary union, provides “more than 60%” of striking teachers in the first degree and “several thousand schools” closed on Tuesday. Twenty blockages are planned in universities.
Blockages in Rennes
Three of the four LNG terminals that import liquefied natural gas (LNG) into France have been shut down for “seven days”, the CGT Elengy union said Monday evening.
The unions also expect more unusual initiatives: curtains of closed stores, open tolls, busy roundregardings or canceled shows.
Several demonstrators began to block during the night of Monday to Tuesday an important road axis of Rennes, in the west of France, noted an AFP videographer. About 50 police officers were present at the scene, as well as firefighters.
The week will be dotted with other mobilizations, in parallel with the debates in the Senate, which will end no matter what happens on Friday: “feminist strikes” on March 8, international women’s rights day, youth mobilization on Thursday, national strike for the climate on Friday, an issue that some unions link to that of pensions.
The government is counting on the adoption of the reform in the Senate by Sunday and is considering “a vote on February 16” in both chambers of Parliament.
This article has been published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
