Emmanuel Macron said on the night of Thursday to Friday to count on the “spirit of responsibility” of the unions so that their movement against his highly disputed pension reform does not block “the life of the rest of the country.”
“First of all, I would like the work to continue in Parliament”, “this is how democracy should work”, declared the head of state during a press conference at the end of a European summit in Brussels.
Although the debates in the National Assembly have often been interrupted since the beginning of the week, he considered it “important that this work can be done in the most serene and professional environment, that the majority and the opposition can ‘express themselves'”.
“Respect for property and people”
“There are then demonstrations and strike movements that will continue to be organized within the framework established by the Constitution,” continued the president, who spoke only on a few occasions about this emblematic reform of his second five-year period that was presented at the beginning of January by the government .
The unions, which have already mobilized strongly in the streets on three occasions against the gradual postponement of the legal retirement age from 62 to 64, have called new days of strikes and demonstrations this Saturday, but also on 16 February and March 7. . They want to install the challenge in time, and for some go to renewable strikes.
“I know that I can count on the spirit of responsibility of its organizers so that disputes and disagreements are expressed, but calmly, with respect for property and people, and with the desire not to block the life of the rest of the country” . Emmanuel Macron said.
Source: BFM TV
