Reporting

France: in the middle of school holidays, fewer protesters for pensions

A sign in the shape of a box of cigarettes with the slogan "aging kills", during the Parisian demonstration on the fifth day of mobilization for pensions, this Thursday, February 16, 2023. AFP - EMMANUEL DUNAND

Text by: RFI Follow

3 mins

France experienced act 5 of the mobilization against the pension reform, this Thursday, February 16.

A new day of strikes and demonstrations.

The CGT claimed 1.3 million demonstrators, the lowest participation since the start of the movement on January 19.

The Interior Ministry estimates that 440,000 people have beaten the pavement.

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All over France this Thursday, gatherings took place for retreats, but they brought together fewer people than last week.

Except perhaps in Albi, in the south of the country, in the footsteps of Jean Jaurès, where the leaders of the eight main unions had met for this occasion.

In #Albi, in the Tarn, where the union leaders had met, there were a lot of people in the street.

▶#JT1920 @France3tv #demonstration pic.twitter.com/BnVeoKtZvR

– Info France 3 (@infofrance3) February 16, 2023

In Paris, the police headquarters estimated the number of demonstrators at 37,000, down from the previous day of mobilization, Saturday.

The CGT estimates for its part that they were 300,000 in the procession of the capital, against 500,000 last Saturday.

For its part, the independent firm Occurrence has identified 33,000 people.

Me, I don't feel so concerned, I'm 64 years old.

But I find it absolutely indecent to say to people: “Ah, well, you're going to work two more years”, from people who clearly don't know what normal life is.

Report: a less massive Parisian procession than last time, but...

Aabla Jounaidi

It must be said that this new day fell in the middle of school holidays, except in the Paris region and in Occitania.

In Marseille, according to the unions, 90,000 people lined the procession, against 140,000 people last Saturday, still according to the unions.

But according to the prefecture, they were 7,000.

Here, the holidays started on Saturday, so it's the holidays!

And there are people, all the same, huh.

Me, I think that people, they do not take off.

We cannot always endure what is concocted for us in high places.

It must be said: no retirement at 64.

Fifth day of mobilization for pensions: report in Marseille

Ariane Lavrilleux

While the debates on the pension reform project must end this Friday evening at midnight sharp, with transmission of the file to the Senate, there is a certain torpor in the Assembly.

Barely a quarter of the text has indeed been studied and each camp accuses each other of the slowness of the process.

While furbishing their arguments.

Ten days since the lying poker began and for the moment, only the National Rally has gone “all in” by drawing a motion of censure against the government.

“The only way”, according to Marine Le Pen, “to achieve a vote for or against this reform”. 

Pension reform: the National Assembly waiting

Aurelien Devernoix

This day, the disturbances remained limited in transport: 14% of strikers at the SNCF, normal traffic in the Paris metro.

Flights have been canceled and EDF agents have reduced production, without however causing power cuts.

According to the Ministry of National Education, 7.67% of teachers went on strike, against 14.17% on the 7th.

📺🔴 Macron does not realize the state of tension in the country

Find my intervention live from the #greve16fevrier demonstration in Montpellier.

pic.twitter.com/E8WZitI1BN

— Jean-Luc Melenchon (@JLMelenchon) February 16, 2023

The unions are now focusing on March 7, with the threat of “shutdown 

of the country.

“ 

”, promised from Albi the number one of the CFDT, Laurent Berger.

In these medium-sized towns, " 

," added Philippe Martinez, of the CGT, who was at his side.

►Also read Pension reform: a fifth day of mobilization before a hypothetical vote in the Assembly

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