Two camps are facing each other this Saturday night after a day of mobilization that brought together between 963,000 and 2.5 million people: the Government that refuses to drop the ballast on the postponement of the retirement age and the unions that plan to strengthen their answer.
Among the options being considered: installing long-term mobilizations on the street or even going towards “renewable strikes” at the RATP, the SNCF or even at the airports, as explained by Philippe Martínez, the number 1 of the CGT on Friday after ” the call to responsibility” launched by Emmanuel Macron from Brussels.
Laurent Berger, the CFDT general secretary, did not like the president’s message either, recalling that there had been no call for a transport strike on Saturday, the first day of vacation in zone B, a way of maintaining support. of the French
“The balance of power works”
Since the beginning of the movement against raising the retirement age, the unions have always been careful to keep on their side the consent of the French, who are opposed to raising the retirement age from 64 to 65% according to the latest Praise. poll for BFMTV.
Among the demonstrators present in Paris for this 4th day of mobilization, however, many are those who push the social partners to go further, against the government that maintains its reform as it is.
“The SNCF controllers won their case during the Christmas holidays because they put pressure on us. We can clearly see that it is the balance of power that works and what can make the government fold. We have to go towards a much more massive movement.” confesses Louise, 24 years old.
“The lack of democratic perspective”
Aware of the risk of an escalation of the conflict, the executive has not ceased in recent days to ensure its listening position. “We have already modified the text in depth, taking into account what we have been told”, the Delegate Minister for Relations with Parliament, Franck Riester, assured Thursday night on BFMTV.
If the confrontation seems to benefit the government for the moment, it is because Emmanuel Macron has made this reform the alpha and omega of his second five-year term. “If we release the pensions at the beginning of the term, instead of standing firm, we will no longer be able to advance anything,” a heavyweight of the majority advanced to re-election. The president also has little electoral reason to let him go when he won’t be running again in 2027.
But for Laurent Berger, these arguments do not hold up. The CFDT general secretary pointed out to our antenna this Wednesday the “lack of democratic perspective of a country that does not respond to 1.5 million people”, describing the attitude of power as “a lack of democracy.” With the line of sight, the movement of the yellow vests.
“We can’t be heard, so let’s speak louder”
While they brought far fewer French onto the streets, protesters had pressured the government to release €12-15 billion worth of measures after several major damages, such as that of the Place de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris. .
Raphaël, 18, present in the streets of Paris during the fourth day of the demonstration, for his part, evokes two ways to push back the government.
“All universities must be blocked. Youth always scare the government. And Robin Hood operations must be multiplied” which consist for the energies of the CGT in passing the counters of SMEs, such as bakeries, or restoring the current to reduced rates in some households in great financial difficulty.
More than 4 out of 10 French people want the movement against the pension reform to get tougher, according to a poll by Elabe for BFMTV.
Source: BFM TV
