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The mobilization against the pension reform project in France continues to disturb some sectors of the country, after demonstrations that brought together more than a million people on Tuesday (7). Gas supply terminals and oil refineries were blocked on Wednesday and disruptions are expected to the rail network and airports.
Those who have to travel in France this Thursday will have to arm themselves with patience again. After two days of disturbances, this Thursday only one in three high-speed trains should run in the country. Traffic will be even more affected on other lines, such as Intercités, which will only have one in four trains running. The unions have already warned that the situation should not change on Friday (10).
In Paris, after two days with less train circulation, the metro system will gradually return to work, but at least four lines are expected to remain heavily disrupted.
In airspace, Air France predicts that only eight out of ten long-haul flights will be maintained. Furthermore, last-minute delays and cancellations “should not be excluded,” the company said.
The oil refineries are expected to remain blocked and the unions do not intend to change their strategy, at least until Friday. Even though production has not been stopped, the fuel cannot leave the site. The gas supply to the population was maintained, but in smaller volumes.
Young people mobilize
Thursday should be marked by protests by youth organizations. This Wednesday, student unions promoted activities, and partial blockades, in about 30 universities in the country.
In addition, unions, who complain about the government’s lack of action, which, according to them, ignores the protests, already foresee a new day of demonstrations on Saturday (11). The organizations hope to repeat the feat of Tuesday, when 1.28 million demonstrators took to the streets, according to police (about 3.5 million according to unions).
contested project
Two out of three French people, according to polls, are against the project to postpone the retirement age from 62 to 64 from 2030 and to bring forward to 2027 the requirement to contribute for 43 years (and not 42 as currently) to receive the full pension. But the government says that by raising one of the lowest retirement ages in Europe, it wants to avoid a pension deficit. According to the spokesman for the Executive, Olivier Véran, the government intends to “meet the objective of a balanced system by 2030”.
The government opted for a controversial parliamentary procedure – it used the tool to amend the Social Security financing law – which limits analysis time and facilitates the approval of the law. The two chambers of Parliament now have until March 26 to approve the same text. Otherwise, the government can implement the measure by means of a decree from this date, something that never happened.
The Senate, controlled by the right-wing opposition in favor of the reform, has until Sunday to vote on the measure. In the National Assembly, discussions did not come to an end as the deadline expired before then.
Next week, representatives of both chambers should meet to arrive at a common text, on which deputies and senators must speak again.
(With information from AFP)