French President Emmanuel Macron received this Wednesday with a “concert” of pots and pans during the first internal trip after the adoption of the controversial revision of the pension law, saying that “it will not be the pots and pans that will move France forward “.
“The reality of the whole country is not only that of those who make noise with pots or who complain”Macron told the press on arrival, in the early afternoon, in the village of Mutterscholtz, in the east of the country.
“They will always see me with the population, I have no right to stop”added the French head of state, in a company specializing in wooden constructions, where he went without passing the demonstrators with pots and pans waiting for him.
She is beautiful there! Des coups de pieds son donner pour intimider les #manifestations before arrival@Emmanuel Macron#Alsace #Muttersholtz #100jours #assignmentpresidentielle #Macron #allocutionprésidentelle #MacronCasseroles20h #stews20 h #ReformDesRetraites pic.twitter.com/uLksPBMO3g
– FreePress (@FressPress) April 19, 2023
Macron, whose popularity suffered from his decision to pass the revision of the pension law using a mechanism provided for in the French constitution that makes voting on the diploma unnecessary in parliament, since he does not have a majority in the National Assembly, wants resume direct contact with the population, after three months of national protest.
In addition to this morning’s visit to Alsace, where he was also met by hostile demonstrators, he is about to travel to southeastern France on Thursday.
By late morning this Wednesday, the national guards had dispersed about a hundred demonstrators, concentrated in the center of the village and equipped with pots and pans, bullhorns and car horns. There were demonstrators who lay down on the ground before being taken away by the security forces.
VIDEO – “On ne veut pas de ta retreat. Qu’est-ce que tu ne comprends pas, trou du cul ?” Emmanuel #Macron it is a party of a demonstrator who has a colère #Selestat. pic.twitter.com/8gKWpYQeOl
– AlertesInfos (@AlertesInfos) April 19, 2023
“The demonstration is done, the call to demonstrate was peaceful (…) When a president is so afraid of his people [é preciso] to question its true legitimacy”says Bertrand Blindauer of the trade union federation Confederação Geral do Trabalho (CGT).
Unions opposed to the revision of the pension law – which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 without financial sanctions – had urged the population to protest loudly against the presence of the head of state on Tuesday.
Some protesters held signs reading “Jupi, get moving”, an allusion to the nickname “Jupiter” given to the president for his vertical conception of power, or even “Your 100 days don’t count with us”, in reference to the 100 days Macron gave himself on Monday to appease the country and launch new reform projects.
On Tuesday evening, a private trip by the president to Saint-Denis, near Paris, had already attracted some 300 protesters.
However, several members of the government and the presidential team urged Emmanuel Macron to win back the French on the ground.
“It’s important” that he travel around the country, said a member of his close circle, Transport Minister Clément Beaune, who welcomed the fact that Macron “might be on the ground” to “meet some of these demands.” listen”.
Since the presentation of the draft revision of the pension law in January, Macron has almost always stayed in the Élysée Palace, the headquarters of the Republic’s presidency, and has made few trips around the country.
Source: DN
