Geoffrey Branger 10:08 a.m., March 11, 2023
While the unions want the blockages to intensify in the country, will the French continue to follow the movement if the strikes increase?
On the seventh day of mobilization against the pension reform, if many continue to support the demonstrators and strikers, radicalization could slow down part of the French.
Blocking the country while retaining the support of the French, a delicate balance.
The inter-union calls this Saturday for a seventh day of mobilization against the pension reform, in addition to the renewable strikes in the energy or transport sectors.
The question is how far the French are prepared to follow.
A radicalization of the movement could slow down the French
If blockades and strikes become too penalizing for the French in the coming days, weeks, then there is a risk that the unions will lose the support of a part of the population like Bernard.
"The total absence of fuel in service stations, a total blockage of transport and not to mention the power cuts which could impact the health of the French, hospitals, etc... An abusive radicalization could cause consequences that are difficult to repair, in particular economically," he says.
>> Find Europe morning weekend - 6-8 in podcast and replay here
A finding shared by political scientist Jean-Christophe Gallien.
According to him, a radicalization of the movement could slow down part of the French.
"There is a chance that this support will wane if the streets become littered with garbage cans because we don't pick them up, if we can't find petrol, if we can't find basic necessity and that in addition inflation continues to be there", he analyzes.
The French resigned?
“Some say there will be even more anger, but others may also say to themselves “finally, now we are moving on.
Our daily life is not pension reform", explains Jean-Christophe Gallien.
This is the difficulty for the unions who want the blockages to intensify to put pressure on the majority without losing the support of part of the French.
Especially since even if there is a majority of active people still against this text, there is a form of resignation that sets in.
>> READ ALSO
- Pension reform: what do we know about the rest of the mobilization?
More and more French people are convinced that, despite the dispute, the executive will not budge.
If this reform is not passed by the Assembly, then there will be a good chance that the government will use article 49.3 of the Constitution to force the text through, as was the case for example in 2016. with the El Khomri labor law.