France: unions hope to mobilise again against pension reform

Between 400,000 and 600,000 demonstrators are expected throughout the France for the 14th day of mobilization against the pension reform, Tuesday, June 6. The unions, who still want to believe in a victory for opponents of the reform, intend to mobilize massively, two days before the examination in the Assembly of a bill to repeal the measure on the postponement of the retirement age. After months, difficult to remobilize, but anger is present.

Protesters throw a doll with the effigy of President Emmanuel Macron in the air during a rally in Cannes, May 21, 2023. © Yara Nardi / Reuters

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We are in the middle of appeasement. Halfway through the 100 days that Emmanuel Macron had given himself to convince and "regain the momentum of the nation", according to his speech of April 17, the President of the Republic will still be in the front line in the slogans and criticisms this Tuesday in the processions.

The mistrust aroused by the forced passage of the reform in the Assembly via Article 49.3 of the constitution is still significant. According to an Ifop poll, 57% of French people support Tuesday's mobilization.

On the other hand, the movement seems to have subsided. Pot concerts have become rarer, strike days have become less frequent – the last was on May 1. After more than a month, it is not easy to remobilize, whispers among some unions. If many French people support the movement, there is a certain weariness among the opponents of the text after more than four months of historic mobilization who have not succeeded in preventing the adoption of the text: not all will demonstrate tomorrow.

Many French people are now tired and no longer hope for anything from the mobilizations against the pension reform, despite their opposition to it.

Nathanaël Vittrant

The organizations are still hoping for a strong mobilization. For the inter-union, the challenge is twofold: to maintain the hope of a victory on the pension reform and to register in the longer term before the summer break. If the unit has not yet paid, it offers new prospects for the unions.

A massive police apparatus in the face of the fears of the executive

The inter-union intends to mobilize massively: "Nothing is written in advance," said Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT, still wanting to believe in a victory of the opponents of the pension reform. For its part, the executive fears new excesses during the procession, so the route of the demonstrators will be under close surveillance.

It is in Paris that the mobilization must be the most important: up to 70,000 demonstrators expected between the Invalides and the Place d'Italie, in the heart of the capital. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced 4,000 police and gendarmes mobilized in Paris, as many as during the last rallies. 11,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilized throughout the France, according to Laurent Nuñez.

The Minister of the Interior who fears the arrival of "members of the ultra-left from Germany, Spain or Italy", a thousand "radical elements", according to the intelligence services, which could well create excesses. On March 7, violence had already punctuated the Parisian demonstration.

So to avoid further damage, the Ministry of the Interior has already pronounced "17 administrative bans on the territory".

Across the France, 250 rallies are announced. In large cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, but also in medium-sized cities.

Parliamentary opposition warns against "a new denial of democracy

»

The parliamentary opposition warns of a risk of "increased anger and violence". In an article published in the newspaper Le Monde on Monday (June 5th), several left-wing deputies warn: "an unbiased vote" is needed in the National Assembly to avoid "a new denial of democracy".

Because the Assembly could examine Thursday, June 8 a bill of the Liot group to cancel the controversial measure of raising the retirement age to 64 years.

While the oppositions have almost their parliamentary recourses and the first decrees of application of the law have been published, there is no question of yielding to the despondency on the side of the Nupes, in particular: the battle continues, explains the deputy the France rebellious, William Martinet.

"The objective is to say that the French will not abandon this battle", it will be "Captain Haddock's band-aid", and "the macronists are making an anti-democratic drift", criticizes LFI MP William Martinet

Aurelian Devernoix

► READ ALSO: France: the State sentenced for filing anti-pension reform protesters in custody

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