An estimated 1.28 million people have joined in a nationwide strike in opposition to French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, it is reported. Image credit: Jeanne Menjoulet from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0.
An estimated 1.28 million people have joined in a nationwide strike in opposition to French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, it is reported.
Until now, protests against the raised pension age had seen large numbers but had little economic impact.
Protestors have turned to more disruptive measures as the government shows no signs of backing down on the reform, which President Macron deemed “essential”.
Transport workers and refinery staff have commenced rolling strikes, resulting in serious disruptions to train services and the Paris Metro.
Strikes by air traffic controllers forced airlines to cut between 20 and 30% of flights.
In addition to disrupting public transit, striking refinery staff have blocked petrol distribution from all major refineries in mainland France.
One union leader, Emmanuel Lépine, said that the goal of blocking fuel deliveries is to “bring the French economy to its knees.”
Polls indicate that roughly two-thirds of French citizens support the strikes as the reforms remain deeply unpopular with the general public.
“The real fight starts now,” union representative Marin Guillotin said of the strike, emphasising the dire situation.
“We haven’t been heard or listened to. We are using the only means we have left: it’s the hard strike … we are not going to give up.”
Unions oppose the reform on the basis that the proposed measures would disproportionately affect low-skilled workers who work tiring jobs and begin their careers early, and propose that small increases in contributions would combat the coming pension deficit.
Neighbouring European countries such as Italy, Germany and Spain have already moved towards a retirement age of 67, and 66 in the UK.
The French government has tried to dissuade protestors, claiming that workers will be the ones to suffer under the strike.
When asked about the strikes this past Saturday, President Macron said that he had “nothing new to say” on the subject.
