France: pressure mounts before act 2 of the mobilization for pensions

Union leaders Laurent Berger, of the CFDT, and Philippe Martinez, of the CGT, photographed side by side during the demonstration on January 19, 2023, in Paris, against the pension reform.

AP - Lewis Joly

Text by: RFI Follow

3 mins

New day of mobilization, this Tuesday, January 31 in France, against the pension reform.

On January 19, they were more than a million according to the police, the double according to the unions, to demonstrate.

The inter-union calls again to pound the pavement.

If the united front says it is determined to lead the rebellion until the government bends, some unions want to accelerate the movement with more radical actions.

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The main objective of the intersyndicale is to defeat the government.

And some central trade unions, such as the General Confederation of Workers, the CGT, consider that the protest in the street will not be enough and propose to carry out targeted actions in different sectors of activity.

Actions have already been announced for the month of February in energy, in the ski lifts of ski resorts, and in transport, with a possible renewable strike at the SNCF during the February school vacation period. , posing a threat to mountain tourism professionals already tested by two years of pandemic.

More than half of the French are in favor of blocking the country if it is the only solution to make the government back down on pension reform.

pic.twitter.com/Hr60tPtRpo

— Manuel Bompard (@mbompard) January 29, 2023

More and more French people are rejecting the pension reform project.

72% of respondents do not want it, according to a recent survey by the Elabe Institute.

Despite its educational efforts, the government is struggling to convince public opinion to work for two more years.

To this was added this week the controversy over the impact study of the pension reform.

The document, presented by the government, points to an inequality between men and women.

The latter will have to work two to five months longer than these gentlemen.

►Also listen: These young people who feel concerned by the pension reform

Borne sets the tone

This Monday begins the examination of the project in the National Assembly.

The kick-off of an intense political showdown for which the government declares itself ready.

He even went on the offensive this weekend, toughening his tone.

And it was Elisabeth Borne who sounded the charge, chanting that "

 ".

There is therefore no question, for the Prime Minister, of reopening the debate with Les Républicains, who have been hesitant in recent days;

the right also reminded of its responsibilities and its political program by the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire...

For his part, Gérald Darmanin took on the task of inveighing against the left-wing opposition, accusing the Nupes of wanting to " 

 " the country and of not defending the value of work.

The Minister of the Interior who also sets the tone on the merits of the reform: "

", the French must therefore make an effort.

🗣 The #RéformeDesRetraites is explained by the serious deficit of our #retirement system.

The @HCP_Le_Plan showed a deficit of 30 billion euros each year.

The state borrows this sum to balance pensions, by putting future generations in debt.#QuestionsPol pic.twitter.com/Wylaa9sX5X

— Francois Bayrou (@bayrou) January 29, 2023

No more question of justice, nor of convincing the greatest number.

The government now assumes that it is only aiming for the financial balance of the pension system.

“ 

”, protests the boss of the French Communist Party, Fabien Roussel, while the vice-president of the LR party, Aurélien Pradié, denounces “

 ” of the executive.

►Read again: Pension reform in France: last battles before the parliamentary debate

Tuesday street test

The atmosphere should therefore be electric this Monday during the kick-off of the examination in committee of the some 7,000 amendments tabled to the text.

Pending the figures of the union mobilization organized on Tuesday.

I am outraged that the government is not listening.

They do what they want.

I've been living in France for almost 23 years and it's getting harder and harder, for the workers too.

And especially people who come from elsewhere.

Hard work up to 64 years old: the testimony of Housseinatou, who will go to demonstrate

Alexis Bedu

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