French influencers support mobilization against pension reform

Protesters march during a demonstration in Paris, March 2023. AP - Aurelien Morissard

Text by: Dominique Desaunay Follow

3 min

While the mobilization continues in France, several French YouTubers, streamers and influencers have also taken positions. Several of them posted messages on social networks in support of the strikers and against the use of 49.3, used by the government to pass the pension reform.

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The streamer Billy who is also called RebeuDeter, was among the first influencers to denounce on Twitter the rejection of the motions of censure. "I wonder what is left of us to be democratic in this country when we are represented by a whole political system that always acts according to the interests of the elites and never those of the people," he said.

The same goes for the web videographer and influencer with 4 million followers Lena Situations, who writes on Instagram, "Shame" to comment on the rejection of the motions of censure. Or the French web videographer, actor, singer, screenwriter and director Freddy Gladieux who publishes "Force aux grévistes et encore plus aux métiers arénibles".

French influencers call on their community to react

This is also the case of the Youtubeur Seb with 5 million subscribers who was nevertheless in the middle of a video documentary shot with a team of scientists in the heart of the glaciers of Kyrgyzstan which are currently suffering the full force of global warming. "It is now that we must not let go," he wrote on Twitter after the announcement of the rejection of the motion of censure. Questioned by a user about the legitimacy of his message concerning a subject that does not concern him, the influencer reacts illico. "To believe that we do not have darons", that is to say parents, "who have been working since the age of 15 piges too, and who have screwed up their health?" he retorts.

The YouTuber takes the opportunity to relay on his networks the links of several strike funds by encouraging his followers to send donations to support the mobilization of employees.

YouTuber Seb called on his community to support the strikers against the pension reform. picture alliance via Getty Image - picture alliance

► Read also: Pensions: unions call to remain mobilized, rallies everywhere in France

Outrage against police violence during recent protests

The French streamer Arkunir, a great specialist in "ratios" on social networks. This practice consists of stealing the spotlight of a tweet by another tweet published in comment. The goal is to get more "likes" than the original post that was posted by a user. And at this little game, Arkunir became a master by beating on its own ground Elon Musk the boss of Twitter last November. Since Monday, the French streamer with his worldwide fame and his 600,000 subscribers, invites his community to "relay a maximum of the videos" demonstrating according to him, this surge "of police violence.

Some influencers are reluctant to take a stand, such as YouTuber Inoxtag, who, after deleting a tweet criticizing the reform, published a series of messages on Tuesday. "I am on your side and if it is necessary to share tweets or pots for the strikers I will do it," he commented on Twitter.

► Also listen: Pension reform: young people are also mobilizing and want to harden the movement

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