Who says hardening also says risk of displeasing. Wanting “bring France to a standstill”Tuesday, March 7, on the occasion of a sixth national day of action against the pension reform, the eight main employee unions and five organizations for the defense of youth have decided to “step up a gear”. Beyond the demonstrations, which promised to be very large, the fight must continue the next day in the form of calls for a renewable strike in several key sectors such as energy and passenger transport. Synonymous with disruption in economic activity and embarrassment for many people, this strategy is driven by betting that it will not backfire – in terms of image – against its initiators.
Since it launched the protest on January 19, the inter-union has been popular with a very large part of the population. According to a survey carried out from March 3 to 6 by Toluna Harris Interactive for RTL and AEF info, 72% of individuals questioned indicate that they support the approach of opponents of the government, a stable proportion over the past two months. There is nothing surprising in this insofar as the thirteen coalition members are in phase with what a clear majority of women and men think: both are against raising the legal retirement age to 64 retirement – the flagship measure of the project.
For the moment, the representatives of workers, high school and university students have therefore won a first battle against the executive: that of public opinion. This advantage, they also owe it to the way in which the anger was expressed, with – initially – impressive processions by the number and without overflow.
“We did things right”
As their request to withdraw from the reform has not been met, the protagonists are now raising their voices, following an approach that was meant to be gradual from the start. “The fact of having started calmly to raise the balance of power afterwards was the best solution. We are thus showing that the turn taken by the conflict is not our fault.believes Benoît Teste, secretary general of the FSU. “People see very well that we did things correctly and that we gave the government a chance”, continues Laurent Escure, the number one of the UNSA. General co-delegate of Solidaires, Simon Duteil considers that faced with a power “who does not move”the population understood “that hardening was inevitable”. “If the prospect of a paralyzed France is confirmed, the responsibility will first fall on the executive”adds Philippe Martinez, the leader of the CGT.
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