The French turn May 1 into a new day against the pension reform

2023-05-01 17:40:53

First modification: 01/05/2023 – 17:40

“This May Day is one of the strongest in the social movement,” said the CGT general secretary, Sophie Binet. More than 300 demonstrations took place throughout France. The unions assure that 2.3 million people took to the streets. The authorities speak of 650,000 demonstrators.

A report by Raphael Morán

The police counted 16,300 demonstrators in Caen (40,000 according to the CGT), 8,700 in Strasbourg (15,000), 7,300 in Lille (15,000), 11,000 in Marseille (130,000), 13,500 in Toulouse (100,000), 15,000 in Brest (33,000). 0) and 14,000 in Clermont-Ferrand (25,000). The authorities expect between 500,000 and 650,000 people throughout the country, of which between 80,000 and 100,000 in Paris.

The last unitary march with the eight main unions dates back to 2009, before the financial crisis (the CGT counted about 1.2 million demonstrators, the police 456,000). In 2002 (between 900,000 and 1.3 million people), the unions had also come together to “block” Jean-Marie Le Pen.

The Parisian parade started in the rain from the Place de la République towards the Place de la Nation and was attended by union leaders from around the world. Colombian, Ukrainian, British, Canadian or Senegalese leaders demonstrated against the pension law. “A retrograde reform for workers’ rights,” denounced the microphone of Raphael Moran, a Colombian trade unionist from the CUT (Unitary Confederation of Workers of Colombia).

“A law is made and unmade, and even if it is enacted, we can express our discontent,” Evelyn told RFI. At 71, this retiree who wears an orange vest, the color of the French CFDT union, does not lose faith: despite the promulgation of the pension system reform by Emmanuel Macron two weeks ago, she joined the demonstration.

A reform adopted ‘legally but not democratically’

After 12 days of demonstrations and the adoption of the reform, the rejection of many French workers remains intact. M’hmed Buhallut is a representative of the cleaning workers of the capital region. “In the cleaning sector we have very difficult conditions. We wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning and finish at 10 at night. Very few work until they are 62 because they end up exhausted. And now the law will force them to work until the age of 64. They are mobilized against this unfair reform by Macron. It was adopted legally, constitutionally, but not democracy,” he denounced.

The trade unionist refers to the application of article 49-3 of the French Constitution that activated the Macron government to adopt the reform without the deputies voting on the law. Although President Macron seeks to turn the page, during the last few days, the French unions, in unison, have kept up the pressure against the French government with whistles and pot-pans to demand the withdrawal of the reform.

“First, we reject this reform of the pension system, it must be withdrawn. We will not return to normality until the government withdraws the reform. And then, we want to put on the negotiating table the issues that really concern French men and women: the increase in salaries, the reduction of the working week, gender equality, the environment, etc. ”, Sophie Binet explained to RFI. CGT secretary.

Now two dates are expected, on May 3 the Constitutional Council pronounces on a referendum proposal to vote on the law. And on June 8, the deputies analyze a bill to repeal the reform.

Clashes and a burned policeman

Apart from the marches, there were clashes with the police in several cities with 180 arrests. According to the police prefecture, “53 arrests were made” in Paris where an officer was badly burned after throwing a Molotov cocktail. 5,000 troops had been deployed in the capital.

In Lyon, the prefecture announced 40 arrests after the attacks of hooded protesters dressed in black. The center of Nantes was also once again the scene of violent tear gas shots in response to projectiles being fired.