- Profile Gérald Darmanin, the questioned guardian of order in France
The French government's attempt to resume dialogue with the trade unions and find a way out of the crisis caused by the pension reform lasted just under an hour. The time it has taken for organizations to get up from the table after Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told them she does not intend to withdraw the controversial law, which aims to raise the retirement age from the current 62 to 64.
It was the first time they had sat down at the dialogue table since this law was approved in January. The unions have described the meeting as a "failure" and accuse the Borne government of being inflexible. "We are facing a radicalized, obtuse and disconnected government," said Sophie Binet, the new general secretary of the CGT, one of the most militant unions.
"It has been a useless meeting," he said, to warn that "the government's strategy is irresponsible." "He will not be able to govern this country if he does not withdraw the reform," he added.
The unions have indicated that they will not return to the dialogue table with the Government until it withdraws the reform: "It is the only possible democratic solution," they have said. They have said that they will continue with the mobilizations and have encouraged citizens to participate massively tomorrow Thursday in the new day of strikes and protests against the law.
Tomorrow will be key to test whether the mobilization in the street keeps Macron's pulse on the pulse, but above all it will be crucial on April 14, which will be when the Constitutional Council announces its verdict on the reform. It must decide whether it complies with the Constitution. The unions and the opposition denounce that the procedure used to approve it (such as a financial law) is a legal shortcut and not valid.
- France
- Emmanuel Macron
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