Stéphane Burgatt, edited by Loane Nader 14:51 p.m., March 22, 2023

The strike movement continues in the country's oil refineries and depots, leading to a new episode of shortages at gas stations. In the Bouches-du-Rhône, 54% of them lack at least one product. The prefecture has therefore decided to focus on priority vehicles to resupply.

Strikes continue at oil refineries and depots in response to the government's pension reform. In the Bouches-du-Rhône, the department most affected by gasoline shortages, nearly 54% of service stations lack at least one product. The prefecture has therefore decided to reserve 11 stations for priority vehicles, three of which are present in the city of Marseille. In the district of Bonneveine, one of these reserved stations is already dry and closed, as noted by Europe 1.

A parade of priority staff finds itself with its back to the wall in the face of this closure, like Dr. Paoli. "I have to go do my visits this morning and I can't do them, I'm going to have to cancel. The problem is for the sick: they can't stop being sick," the doctor joked. As for this resident of the port city, he considers clearly insufficient the number of stations allocated to priority vehicles: "Oh no, it's not enough given the number of nurses, physiotherapists, doctors ...", says the Marseillais, before adding that priority services should be rethought: "It's imperative. I have already phoned the council of the order three times this morning."

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Priority stations stormed

The other two stations in the city are completely stormed and one of them is currently partially broken. And for good reason, it must be said that the list of priority personnel is quite long, between cash couriers, child aid, funeral services ... But the problem, according to a police officer met by Europe 1, is mainly people who do not play the game: "With people who are priority and people who force to take gas, we will never get out," he whispers. "There are some who try to force the passage, who are not priority and they of course threaten cashiers who cannot do justice on their own. Usually, there is a police patrol that does the filters. But hey, there's no one, so it's going to be complicated."

Faced with this situation, controls are reinforced on the other Marseille stations. A glimmer of hope for these residents remains, however, because these pumps are supposed to be at the top of the list of stations to be refueled in priority.