Pension protests continue in Paris with anger overflowing
The headquarters of luxury giant Louis Vuitton were stormed by protesters in Paris today amid fresh protests over the Macron government’s pension reform.
“If Macron wants to find money to fund the pension system, he will have to come here to find it,” union leader Fabien Villendieu told CNN’s BFMTV outside the Louis Vuitton building.
FRANCE – Now LVMH headquarters in Paris have been stormed by protesters.
Fury on the streets, the day before the court decision.
— Bernie’s Tweets (@BernieSpofforth) April 13, 2023
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez warned in advance that protesters might “hit what they consider capitalist signs,” speaking to French radio station RMC.
In order to prevent further incidents, the police broke up the protest in front of the Constitutional Council, which will also issue the long-awaited decision on the validity of the pension reform law tomorrow, Friday.
Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated again today across France expressing their strong dissatisfaction with the increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64.
At the request of the prime minister, Elizabeth Bourne, the constitutional council will decide whether the legislation is in line with the French constitution. Left-wing politicians also called for a ruling on whether a form of citizens’ referendum could be held on pension changes.
Unions said anger remains and protests will continue if the bill is signed into law.
Several schools remained closed today, while garbage bins in Paris were once again full due to a strike by garbage collection workers.
Although the number of people protesting in the streets has been limited, two-thirds of French people remain opposed to raising the retirement age and 52% want protests to continue even if the constitutional council approves the pension law on Friday, according to with an Ifop poll for Le Journal du Dimanche .
However, ministers are confident the council will approve the changes after the government used an executive order to push them through without a parliamentary vote last month. If the changes are ultimately deemed constitutional, Emmanuel Macron hopes to immediately sign the new pension rules so that they come into force before the end of 2023.
Source :Skai
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