China News Network on March 3 Comprehensive report, local time on the 18th, the French government decided to invoke Article 16.49 of the Constitution to forcibly promote the reform of the retirement system bill in the parliament, which caused great controversy in all walks of life in France.
People in Paris, Marseille, Dijon, Nantes, Toulouse and Nice gathered in the streets to protest. In some areas, demonstrations have even turned violent. At the same time, the opposition party submitted a motion of no confidence, which is expected to be voted on on the 20th.
Protesters set fire to garbage cans on the side of the street after a demonstration near the Place de la Concorde in Paris on March 2023, 3.
"Paris burns in protests"
In the video released by the French BFMTV, protests broke out in France on the evening of the 16th, protesters destroyed street facilities, smashed windows, set fire to things, and smoke filled the air. The US "Newsweek" said that Paris burned in the protests.
Reform of the retirement system has been one of French President Emmanuel Macron's priorities since taking office, and it has caused strong controversy as soon as it was introduced.
Under the reforms, the retirement age will be raised from the current 62 to 64, and from 2027, only French people who have worked for 43 years will receive a full pension. Macron believes that France urgently needs reforms, otherwise the pension system will fall into deficit.
French Prime Minister Bornet announced on the 16th that the government decided to invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution and directly pass the pension system reform bill without a vote of the National Assembly.
On the same day, as soon as Bornet stepped into the National Assembly, he was surrounded by boos, and opposition parties loudly demanded that Macron's government step down. Some lawmakers sang the French national anthem to prevent Borné from speaking, and some held up placards reading "Don't retire at 64" to confront Bornet.
As Bornet spoke, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Place de la Concorde, central Paris, lighting fires and chanting slogans such as "Macron resigns" and "We are here."
On March 2023, 3, a protest was held in Paris, France, to protest the government's forced push for a pension reform bill.
The night's demonstrations turned violent, with demonstrators throwing stones at police and police firing tear gas to drive them away. Al Jazeera said platoons of police officers took shields and batons and headed toward Concorde Square, where they fired water cannons after a fire erupted in the middle of the square.
On the 17th, hundreds of protesters temporarily blocked the ring road in Paris, while dozens of people poured into the tracks of Bordeaux's main train station in southwestern France. Cities across France have also mostly held small, scattered protests.
French media quoted French Ministry of the Interior Darmaning as saying that on the night of the 16th, 310 people were arrested in France, of which 258 were arrested in Paris.
In the past two months, similar chaotic scenes have been staged in France, with multiple rounds of strikes in logistics, energy, shipping terminals, education and other fields. The alternating strike of sanitation workers in Paris has been going on for two weeks, leading to an increase in the accumulation of garbage in the city, which now has about 7000,<> tons of garbage on the streets.
The French Confederation of Trade Unions had previously predicted another full day of strikes and demonstrations on March 3 to protest against the reform of the retirement system.
"This is a democratic coup"
According to Reuters, after a scene of chaos in parliament, French far-right party leader Marine Le Pen told reporters that "this is a democratic coup."
Data map: Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right party "National Alliance".
Le Pen called for a no-confidence motion, and the leader of the far-left Unyielding France party Mélenchon also said that the retirement reform bill was unjustified and supported the no-confidence motion.
Fore, the first secretary of the French Socialist Party, also said that the weeks-long strikes, protests had an impact on electricity production, refinery transportation, etc., coupled with seeing piles of garbage on the streets of Paris, the pension reform bill could release "uncontrollable anger."
Under French law, the government has the right to invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution to pass bills without a vote in the National Assembly, but this also means that the opposition can initiate a motion of no confidence in the government in response.
Currently in the National Assembly, the opposition has submitted two motions of no confidence, and if either one is supported by a majority, Prime Minister Bornet will have to submit his resignation.
Infographic: French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Associated Press analysis pointed out that it is not easy to pass the no-confidence motion. No motion of no confidence has been adopted in France since 1962. In addition, Macron's centrist coalition has the most seats in the National Assembly, and the French Republican Party also tends to support a longer retirement age. While a small number of conservatives may deviate from the Republican line, their willingness to topple Macron's government remains to be seen.
But French media pointed out that Macron's government is clearly becoming increasingly fragile, and even if the ruling coalition survives in parliament, it will be difficult to quell the chaos in the streets.
Herbert, an international affairs commentator on France 24, said people may think that the events of the past few weeks and months have made the situation in France tense, but "the mood will be even higher".