Thousands of people took to the streets in France on Thursday to protest against the cost of living and an unpopular pension reform, which President Emmanuel Macron’s government has postponed for several weeks to seek a deal.
The CGT, FSU and Solidaires unions called for a day of demonstration to demand a salary increase and to warn that people “don’t want to work any longer”, in the words of CGT leader Philippe Martinez.
About 40,000 people, according to organizers, took part in the demonstration in Paris, although the protests also reached other points such as Marseille and Nantes.
Raising the retirement age from 62 to 65 is one of the emblematic reforms that the liberal president wants to implement, after the pandemic forced him to step back in a first attempt during his first term.
The unions, which paralyzed French transport in 2020 with their calls to strike, have already voiced their opposition to the reform, as has the left-wing opposition, which denounces the way Macron wants to take it forward.
Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne told AFP on Thursday that the government will open a new cycle of dialogue with political and social forces to adopt the law “before winter”.
Its objective is the gradual implementation of the reform from mid-2023 until 2031, when the retirement age is already 65 years.
“We don’t want to negotiate raising the retirement age,” warned Martinez, who questioned the Executive’s outstretched hand. “If you’re going to tell us that’s what they want and now we have to do what they say, we won’t be at the table for long.”
Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt even warned that Macron is willing to dissolve the Assembly (lower house), where he has not had an absolute majority since June, if a motion of censure to prevent the reform is passed.
“If the entire opposition unites to adopt a motion of censure and overthrow the government, [Macron] will leave it to the French to decide what new majority they want,” Dusopt said on the LCI channel.
In a context of inflation (5.9% in August) due to the increase in energy and food prices as a result of the Ukrainian War, the protesters also demanded a salary increase.
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