Philippe Martinez: "The movement will not stop if the Government does not stop the project"

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Both sides resume the dialogue on Wednesday. But this Tuesday was a day to show firmness. The unions, in the street , with large demonstrations. The French Government, in the Assembly where the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to pension reform: "My determination is total . "

The big demonstration had to start this Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. from the Republic Square . But there were so many people that the header was organized half a kilometer later, next to the subway 'Daughters of Calvary' .

Philippe Martinez, leader of the CGT, arrived at his site in the front row of the banner. He attended the media in shifts (first, radio; then, cameras) that we were admitted in shifts in the corralito that bounded the chunky union service in front of its leaders. Everyone wears dark, short clothes, red bracelet, helmet and smoke glasses at the waist and a backpack on the back.

At the last moment, when he had to have started the march, Martinez, who has lost the last name but retains the language, agrees to answer three questions in Spanish: "The government has to say 'we have understood the street and stopped project . ”If they do not withdraw it and they [improve] the current system that is one of the best in the world, the movement will not stop.”

Shortly after, the prime minister responded from the Assembly. "My determination, that of the Government and that of the majority is total. I say it calmly, it is total." And then he specified: "Total on the creation of the universal regime and on the need to make prevail the [financial] balance of the system".

The unions have managed to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people on Tuesday. There were more than 250 demonstrations throughout France . They gathered, according to the Ministry of Interior, 650,000 people. According to the CGT to 1.8 million. That is, for the Police, fewer people than on day 5 (806,000) and for the union, more. (1.5 million).

Both parties approach the ember of their figure to their thesis. The unions that clicked on the second call, managed to make a show of strength on Tuesday. The government expects the protest to languish . And that users, tired of early rises and pushes, stop supporting the movement and force at least one Christmas truce.

Ten minutes to two in the afternoon and the thermometers mark 16 degrees, 7 more than normal on this date. Martinez says "Are we going?" and the procession starts. He has told us before why he is here: "Because the Government wants to make the population work longer and with a smaller pension."

When I ask him about one of the strong arguments of the Government (that the candidate Macron had the reform in his program) he defends himself worse: "The president was elected without [knowing the] details about his reform. Everyone who voted for Macron they did not vote for their program but not to vote for their rival [ Marine Le Pen ]. "

"Come on". But the header just takes a few steps. They wave the red flags of the CGT and of Fuerza Obrera. And the anarchists of the CNT . The subway workers take the first blocks and float in the atmosphere a retro air: men, songs with double intention, and militants of several parties of communist surname that distribute leaflets with an analog enthusiasm. Dostroskists selling their newspaper, 'Le Bolchevik' are criticized by an anarchist with white hair ... on account of an episode of the Russian Revolution.

Luckily, the procession now feeds on white and green coats. It is the nurses who do not strike but carry a long protest: "If you hurt me, who will heal you?" Ask a nurse in her blouse.

The march has been rejuvenated and feminized. There are fewer slogans, less megaphones and more ingenuity. The teaching staff only goes on strike the 'manifesa' days and brings a cultural touch to the parade. This protester has brought home a portrait with a golden frame of a nobleman of the Old Regime. Under the wig, Macron's face. And a subtle legend: "May 14, 2017. Restoration of the monarchy . " The date is the presidential election.

Although for cultural touch the one that The Theater of the Sun contributes that greets the passage from the sidewalk with a giant wounded in the head and a banner with this quote from Shakespeare : "The hornets do not suck the blood of the eagles but rather sack the hives of the bees".

We are on Beaumarchais boulevard , with your motorcycle shops and closed cameras (order of the prefect for the entire tour) and protected by wooden panels. Maghreb have set up their usual food stalls where you merge a merguez or a moruno skewer for five euros.

The atmosphere is relaxed, dotted by some lawyer in black truce and isolated groups of 'yellow vests'. His most popular refrain has made school and is chanted by many throats: "We are here, although Macron does not want it, we are here ..." Criticisms abound to the president but we are far from the acrimony of last year.

The march crossed the square of the Bastille in works and led to the Plaza de la Nación where radicals of the 'black bloc' have caused incidents. Masked and dressed in black, the far-left militants have clashed with the police.

The leaders of the Socialist Party ( Olivier Faure ), Ecologist ( Julien Bayou ) and the Insumisa France of the extreme left ( Jean Luc Mélenchon ) took part in the Parisian demonstration. For the first time, the reformist union that agrees with the universal pension system that Macron wants to implement but does not agree to increase the retirement age as proposed by the prime minister participated. He paraded separately, at the end of the procession.

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