France experiences its most crowded Labor Day since 2002

2023-05-01 19:49:18

• Moral victory of the French unions: Consolation prize or turning point?

• Pension reform in Spain and France: how they are similar and how they differ

No news of the 100 days of “pacification” a France. Two weeks after the French President, Emmanuel Macron, set this deadline, the indignation against his Government and his pension reform not decay The neighboring country experienced the most massive demonstrations in recent decades on Monday, May 1. Between 2.3 million peopleaccording to the unions, and 782.000according to the police, participated in the traditional parades of the Worker’s Day in the country A successful mobilization for the unions that do not want to put down their arms despite the approval by “decree” and the promulgation of the unpopular increase in theminimum retirement age from 62 to 64 years (with 43 years of contributions to receive a full pension).

“This 1 May is one of the most important in history”, said the general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet, who took the reins of one of the main Gallic unions at the end of March. Although the recurrent qualifier of “historic” sounds exaggerated, it has represented one of the most frequented Workers’ Days of the 21st century in France. More than 300 protests were held throughout the French territory in a day marked by union unity – something unusual in the neighboring country – and the current wave of indignation.

The number of people on the streets announced by the unions has been 10 times higher than last year. Not since 2002 have there been so many protesters on May Day. Then, more than a million people took to the streets against the far-right Jean-Marie Le Pen, who had qualified a few days earlier for the second round of the presidential elections.

Riots in Paris and Lyon

Riots in Paris and LyonThis time, in the center of the target wasMacron and its policies. More specifically, his pension reform. Despite its promulgation on April 15, the social and political crisis sparked by this measure – rejected by around 70% of French people, according to polls – seems far from being closed. “It won’t be by making a few trips around the territory that the president will manage to calm the anger of the people”, Paul Margelidon, 41, an electromechanical technician present at the demonstration in Paris, told EL PERIÓDICO.

In between 550,000 peopleaccording to the unions, and 112.000, according to the police, marched through the streets of the capital’s east in a protest that began in Plaça de la República. There they put a large yellow vest on Marianne’s statue with the message “Macron resigns”. Drums, demonstrators dancing to techno music, trade unionists dressed as dinosaurs handing out candy… The majority atmosphere was festive. “The great majority of the demonstrators are peaceful”, recognized the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin.

shortness of breath #paris #1erm #NonALaReformeDesRetraites pic.twitter.com/f0eASTFXNE

— Christophe Grébert ????‍♀️ (@grebert) May 1, 2023

Despite this, there was riots and clashes between ‘black-blocs’ (far-left agitators) and the security forces, especially in Paris and Lyon. In the capital, demonstrators threw a Molotov cocktail at a riot policeman, who was “seriously injured”, according to the Ministry of the Interior. In the Parisian Place de la Nation, there was also a major fire near a building under construction, which was quickly extinguished. A protester suffered serious hand injuries in Nantes. Some 2,000 people occupied a luxury hotel in Marseille for a few hours. Authorities reported in the afternoon more than 200 people arrested or questioned, according to provisional data.

Moral victory of the unions

Moral victory of the unionsThe protests were also marked by the controversial presence of drones to watch over them. “With this pension reform, not only has the democratic process been humiliated, but democratic freedoms have been limited,” complained Noémie Giraldo, 22 years old. This law student gave as an example the attempts to ban casseroles at some anti-Macron rallies or to bring whistles and red cards handed out by unions into the Stade de France at the recent soccer cup final.

“Before these protests I didn’t know very well what the unions were for and now I believe in them a lot more”, added this protester, accompanied by some friends. This massive 1 May confirmed the victory of the unions in the face of public opinion. They emerge stronger and more feminized – their two new leaders are women – from the current tussle with the centrist Executive. They have achieved a moral triumph.

“We take note of the promulgation of the reform, but we do not accept it”, declared the general secretary of the CFDT, Lawrence Berger. “We still have mechanisms to oppose” the increase in the retirement age, added this moderate trade unionist, who in June will leave the leadership of the organization of workers with a greater number of affiliates in the neighboring country.

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Among these levers, he cited the possibility of organizing a referendum – a very complex process in France – on which the Constitutional Council will rule on Wednesday, after having rejected a similar initiative in April. The centrist opposition group LIOT also announced its intention to submit to the vote in June in the National Assembly a bill to repeal the reform. Although the unions take to these mechanisms to stop the text, they have little chance of fruition.

And now what? Will this May 1st be the last ‘comb’ of the unions to Macron? Or a new impetus to the mobilizations? Union leaders will meet on Tuesday afternoon to decide on their next steps. One of their main dilemmas is whether they agree to meet with the Government for negotiate on a future labor reform. Despite their ability to summon, they are aware of the limits of manifesting almost every week. And, above all, of the hard position of Macron who does not want to modify his policies despite a street that does not relax.