Pension reform: despite the success of the January 19 rallies, the executive determined to "convince"
Anti-pension reform demonstration in Paris, January 19, 2023 © RFI-Chi Phuong
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Big mobilization against the pension reform yesterday everywhere in France.
One million 100 thousand demonstrators according to the Ministry of the Interior, more than 2 million according to the CGT.
A first success therefore for the unions that the President of the Republic followed from Barcelona.
Emmanuel Macron, who participated in the 27th Franco-Spanish summit, said he was "determined" to carry out this reform to the end.
But until when ?
The executive says he is convinced that he can still convince.
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Hundreds of thousands of people on the streets in France and the Head of the Right State in his clubs, in Spain, who reiterates to the journalists who accompany him his determination to "
bring the reform to a successful conclusion
"... Because according to Matignon, this mobilization was expected, it is not a surprise.
And the government will remain mobilized to “
convince the French in the coming days
”.
The law will be presented to the Council of Ministers on January 23.
►
To read also
: in France, more than a million demonstrators for pensions, according to the police
Convincing is also the mission of the deputies of the majority who are called upon to spread the good word, to continue to do pedagogy in their constituency.
Because according to the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt, questioned by our colleagues from RTL, the French simply “did
not understand the reform
”.
The Renaissance deputy for French people abroad, Marc Feracci, remains calm.
"
Democracy is expressed in the street, the right to demonstrate is protected by the Constitution... but it is also expressed in Parliament, in the hemicycle
"
The majority refers to possible adjustments in the parliamentary debate.
But deputy Benjamin Haddad is determined, like the head of state.
“
We have a responsibility, to tell the truth: we must balance, finance our pay-as-you-go pension system …”
Same story on the side of the LR allies where we justify the vote for this unpopular reform by its necessity.
“Doing politics is not making decisions that please, it is making necessary decisions …”, insists Alexandre Vincendet deputy Les Républicains.
In the Assembly, we are preparing for another battle, the examination of the text – which will not arrive for two weeks, in the hemicycle and of the multiple amendments announced by the opposition.
New event on January 31
What if education wasn't enough?
Off the microphone, a parliamentarian close to the president wonders if the French are "
as resigned as we have said in recent weeks
".
“
We expected people in the street, but maybe not as many
”, recognizes this deputy who is waiting to see if the movement settles in the long term.
What if he becomes radicalized?
"We are watching this very closely," says a minister present in Barcelona.
“
This reform is unacceptable and goes against the interests of the population
,” the eight trade union centers reiterated Thursday evening to the press.
The unions, after this first successful day of action, announce a new demonstration on January 31st.
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