Story by Joseph Ataman • CNN
Strikes disrupted train services, flights, schools and businesses in France on Thursday as more than one million people protested against the government’s plans to raise the retirement age for most workers.
Protests in major French cities, including Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes and Nice, brought many transport services to a standstill. The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors.
France’s Interior Ministry said more than a million people took to the streets across the country, including 80,000 in Paris, where small groups of demonstrators threw bottles, rocks and fireworks at riot police.
Eight of the biggest unions had called for a “first day of strikes and protests” against pension reforms unveiled by President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The legislation will require French citizens to work until 64, from 62 currently, to qualify for a full state pension.
The French government has said this is necessary to tackle a pension funding deficit, but the reforms have angered workers at a time when living costs are rising.
Teachers and transport workers were among those who did not report for work. More than 40% of primary school teachers and more than one third of high school teachers went on strike, according to France’s education ministry.
Train lines across France saw “severe disruption,” according to French rail authority SNCF, and metro lines in Paris were hit by full or partial closures, the city transport authority RATP said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Eurostar canceled several services between the French capital and London, according to its website, and some flights at Orly airport were scratched. Charles de Gaulle airport reported “a few delays” due to striking air traffic controllers, but no cancellations.
Striking French workers lead 1 million people in protest over plans to raise retirement age© Provided by CNNTrain tracks lie empty at Gare de l'Est railway station in Paris as France is hit by widespread traffic disruption amid a nationwide strike against proposed pension reforms. - Kiran Ridley/Getty Images
CGT, one of France’s major confederation of trade unions, estimated that two million people took part in more than 200 protest events across the country, and said that the majority of refinery workers at TotalEnergies (TOT) walked out, interrupting deliveries of oil products. TotalEnergies (TOT) said that fuel supplies at its network of gas stations would not be affected.
Why are people protesting?
Related video: Paris braces for major strike against pension reform (AFP)
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Macron’s proposed pension reforms come as workers in France, as elsewhere, are being squeezed by rising food and energy bills. Nurses and ambulance drivers in the United Kingdom are also striking on Thursday over pay and working conditions.
Thousands took part in mass demonstrations on the streets of Paris last year protesting the cost of living, and strikes by workers demanding higher pay caused fuel pumps to run dry across the country a few months ago.
“This reform falls at a moment where there is lots of anger, lots of frustration, lots of fatigue. It’s coming at the worst moment, in fact,” CFE-CGC union chief François Hommeril told CNN on Tuesday, pointing to the inflation that has wracked Europe this year following the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to journalists in Spain on Thursday, Macron defended the changes as “fair and responsible.”
“If you want the pact between generations to be fair, we must proceed with this reform,” he added.
France spent nearly 14% of GDP on state pensions in 2018, which is more than most other countries, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
French workers walk out in mass strikes against plans to raise the retirement age© Provided by CNNWooden pallets burn, as demonstrators gather during a rally called by French trade unions outside the Gare de Lyon, in Paris on January 19, 2023. - Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
How does France compare?
Government spokesperson Olivier Veran told journalists Wednesday that 40% of French workers will be able to retire before 64 under the proposed regime because of exceptions for those who started work early or who have physically taxing jobs.
“We have the most protective, the most developed system in Europe [for pensions],” he said. “Even after the reforms, we will retire in France better off and earlier than in almost all eurozone countries,” he added.
In Europe and in many other developed economies, the age at which full pension benefits vest is 65 and increasingly moving towards 67.
Overhauling pensions has long been a controversial issue in France, with street protests halting reform efforts in 1995, and successive governments facing stiff resistance to changes that eventually passed in 2004, 2008 and 2010.
An earlier attempt by Macron to revamp France’s pensions system was met with nationwide strikes in 2019 before being abandoned because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
French unions are due to meet Thursday evening to decide on whether strike action should continue.
— Saskya Vandoorne in Paris and Al Goodman in Barcelona contributed reporting.
France: Over 1 million march against raising retirement age
By SYLVIE CORBET and JADE LE DELEY
4 of 15
By SYLVIE CORBET and JADE LE DELEY
4 of 15
People gather on Place de la Republique during a demonstration against proposed pension changes, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 in Paris. Workers in many French cities took to the streets Thursday to reject proposed pension changes that would push back the retirement age, amid a day of nationwide strikes and protests seen as a major test for Emmanuel Macron and his presidency. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
Firefighters demonstrate against pension changes, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 in Lille, northern France
Workers in many French cities took to the streets Thursday to reject proposed pension changes that would push back the retirement age, amid a day of nationwide strikes and protests seen as a major test for Emmanuel Macron and his presidency. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)
PARIS (AP) — At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets of Paris and other French cities Thursday amid nationwide strikes against plans to raise the retirement age — but President Emmanuel Macron insisted he would press ahead with the proposed pension reforms.
Emboldened by the mass show of resistance, French unions announced new strikes and protests Jan. 31, vowing to try to get the government to back down on plans to push up the standard retirement age from 62 to 64. Macron says the measure - a central pillar of his second term — is needed to keep the pension system financially viable, but unions say it threatens hard-fought worker rights.
Out of the country for a French-Spanish summit in Barcelona, Macron acknowledged the public discontent but said that “we must do that reform” to “save” French pensions.
“We will do it with respect, in a spirit of dialogue but also determination and responsibility,” he added.
As Macron spoke, riot police pushed back against some protesters throwing projectiles on the sidelines of the largely peaceful Paris march. Some other minor incidents briefly flared up, leading officers to use tear gas.
Paris police said that 38 people were detained as a mass of people thronged the streets of the capital despite freezing rain, the crowd so big that it took hours to reach their destination. Retirees and college students joined the diverse crowd, united in their fear and anger over the reform.
In a country with an aging population and growing life expectancy where everyone receives a state pension, Macron’s government says the reform is the only way to keep the system solvent.
Unions propose a tax on the wealthy or more payroll contributions from employers to finance the pension system instead.
Polls suggest most French people oppose the reform, and Thursday was the first public reaction to Macron’s plan. Strikes severely disrupted transport, schools and other public services, and more than 200 rallies were staged around France.
The Interior Ministry said more than 1.1 million people protested, including 80,000 in Paris. Unions said more than 2 million people took part nationwide, and 400,000 in Paris.
Big crowds also turned out for protests against previous efforts at retirement reform, notably during Macron’s first term and under former President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010. But none of those drew more than 1 million people according to government estimates.
Jean Paul Cachina, 56, a worker in human resources, joined the march in the French capital — a first ever for him.
“I am not here for myself,” he said. “I am here to defend the youth and workers doing demanding jobs. I work in the construction industry sector and I’m a first-hand witness of the suffering of employees.”
Many young people were among the Paris crowd, including high school students.
Nathan Arsac, 19, a student and member of the UNEF union, said: “I’m afraid of what’s going to happen next. Losing our social achievements could happen so fast. I’m scared of the future when I’ll be older and have to retire.”
Sylvie Béchard, a 59-year-old nurse, said that she joined the march because “we, health care workers, are physically exhausted.”
“The only thing we have is to demonstrate, and to block the economy of the country,” she added.
The economic cost of Thursday’s strikes wasn’t immediately clear, but protracted walkouts could hobble the economy just as France is struggling against inflation and trying to boost growth.
Police unions opposed to the retirement reform also took part in the protests, while those on duty sought to contain scattered unrest.
Most train services around France were halted, including some international connections, and about 20% of flights out of Paris’ Orly Airport were canceled.
The Education Ministry said more than a third of teachers were on strike, and national electricity company EDF announced that power supplies were substantially reduced Thursday amid the strikes.
The Versailles Palace was closed Thursday while the Eiffel Tower warned about potential disruptions and the Louvre Museum closed some exhibition rooms.
Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the hard-left CGT union, urged Macron to “listen to the street.”
Laurent Berger, head of the more moderate CFDT union, called the reform “unfair” and said Thursday’s show of resistance was a warning sign.
Many French workers expressed mixed feelings about the government’s plan and pointed to the complexity of the pension system.
Quentin Coelho, 27, a Red Cross employee, felt he had to work Thursday despite understanding “most of the strikers’ demands.” Coelho said he fears that the government will keep raising the retirement age, so is already saving money for his pension.
Others worry the reform will hit harder for low-income workers, who live less long than the wealthy.
“It’s a social issue. Do you want to retire sick, broken and even some dead? Or do you want to enjoy life?” asked Fabien Villedieu, a 45-year-old railway worker,
French Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt acknowledged “concerns” prompted by the pension plans but said the government rejected other options involving raising taxes — which he said would hurt the economy and cost jobs — or reducing pensions.
The French government is formally presenting the pension bill on Monday and it will head to Parliament next month. Its success will depend in part on the scale and duration of the strikes and protests.
Most opposition parties, including the left and the far-right, are strongly against the plan. Macron’s centrist alliance lost its parliamentary majority last year, yet still has the biggest group at the National Assembly, where it hopes to ally with the conservative The Republicans party to approve the pension reforms.
Under the planned changes, workers must have worked for at least 43 years to be entitled to a full pension. For those who do not fulfil that condition, like many women who interrupted their career to raise children or those who studied for a long time and started working late, the retirement age would remain unchanged at 67.
Those who started to work under the age of 20 and workers with major health issues would be allowed early retirement.
Protracted strikes met Macron’s last effort to raise the retirement age in 2019. He eventually withdrew it after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Retirement rules vary widely from country to country, making direct comparisons difficult. The official retirement age in the U.S. is now 67, and countries across Europe have been raising pension ages as populations grow older and fertility rates drop.
But opponents of Macron’s reform note that, under the French system, people are already required to work more years overall than in some neighboring countries to receive a full pension. The plan is also seen by many as endangering the welfare state that’s central to French society.
___
Alexander Turnbull, Oleg Cetinic and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
Workers in many French cities took to the streets Thursday to reject proposed pension changes that would push back the retirement age, amid a day of nationwide strikes and protests seen as a major test for Emmanuel Macron and his presidency. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)
PARIS (AP) — At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets of Paris and other French cities Thursday amid nationwide strikes against plans to raise the retirement age — but President Emmanuel Macron insisted he would press ahead with the proposed pension reforms.
Emboldened by the mass show of resistance, French unions announced new strikes and protests Jan. 31, vowing to try to get the government to back down on plans to push up the standard retirement age from 62 to 64. Macron says the measure - a central pillar of his second term — is needed to keep the pension system financially viable, but unions say it threatens hard-fought worker rights.
Out of the country for a French-Spanish summit in Barcelona, Macron acknowledged the public discontent but said that “we must do that reform” to “save” French pensions.
“We will do it with respect, in a spirit of dialogue but also determination and responsibility,” he added.
As Macron spoke, riot police pushed back against some protesters throwing projectiles on the sidelines of the largely peaceful Paris march. Some other minor incidents briefly flared up, leading officers to use tear gas.
Paris police said that 38 people were detained as a mass of people thronged the streets of the capital despite freezing rain, the crowd so big that it took hours to reach their destination. Retirees and college students joined the diverse crowd, united in their fear and anger over the reform.
In a country with an aging population and growing life expectancy where everyone receives a state pension, Macron’s government says the reform is the only way to keep the system solvent.
Unions propose a tax on the wealthy or more payroll contributions from employers to finance the pension system instead.
Polls suggest most French people oppose the reform, and Thursday was the first public reaction to Macron’s plan. Strikes severely disrupted transport, schools and other public services, and more than 200 rallies were staged around France.
The Interior Ministry said more than 1.1 million people protested, including 80,000 in Paris. Unions said more than 2 million people took part nationwide, and 400,000 in Paris.
Big crowds also turned out for protests against previous efforts at retirement reform, notably during Macron’s first term and under former President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010. But none of those drew more than 1 million people according to government estimates.
Jean Paul Cachina, 56, a worker in human resources, joined the march in the French capital — a first ever for him.
“I am not here for myself,” he said. “I am here to defend the youth and workers doing demanding jobs. I work in the construction industry sector and I’m a first-hand witness of the suffering of employees.”
Many young people were among the Paris crowd, including high school students.
Nathan Arsac, 19, a student and member of the UNEF union, said: “I’m afraid of what’s going to happen next. Losing our social achievements could happen so fast. I’m scared of the future when I’ll be older and have to retire.”
Sylvie Béchard, a 59-year-old nurse, said that she joined the march because “we, health care workers, are physically exhausted.”
“The only thing we have is to demonstrate, and to block the economy of the country,” she added.
The economic cost of Thursday’s strikes wasn’t immediately clear, but protracted walkouts could hobble the economy just as France is struggling against inflation and trying to boost growth.
Police unions opposed to the retirement reform also took part in the protests, while those on duty sought to contain scattered unrest.
Most train services around France were halted, including some international connections, and about 20% of flights out of Paris’ Orly Airport were canceled.
The Education Ministry said more than a third of teachers were on strike, and national electricity company EDF announced that power supplies were substantially reduced Thursday amid the strikes.
The Versailles Palace was closed Thursday while the Eiffel Tower warned about potential disruptions and the Louvre Museum closed some exhibition rooms.
Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the hard-left CGT union, urged Macron to “listen to the street.”
Laurent Berger, head of the more moderate CFDT union, called the reform “unfair” and said Thursday’s show of resistance was a warning sign.
Many French workers expressed mixed feelings about the government’s plan and pointed to the complexity of the pension system.
Quentin Coelho, 27, a Red Cross employee, felt he had to work Thursday despite understanding “most of the strikers’ demands.” Coelho said he fears that the government will keep raising the retirement age, so is already saving money for his pension.
Others worry the reform will hit harder for low-income workers, who live less long than the wealthy.
“It’s a social issue. Do you want to retire sick, broken and even some dead? Or do you want to enjoy life?” asked Fabien Villedieu, a 45-year-old railway worker,
French Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt acknowledged “concerns” prompted by the pension plans but said the government rejected other options involving raising taxes — which he said would hurt the economy and cost jobs — or reducing pensions.
The French government is formally presenting the pension bill on Monday and it will head to Parliament next month. Its success will depend in part on the scale and duration of the strikes and protests.
Most opposition parties, including the left and the far-right, are strongly against the plan. Macron’s centrist alliance lost its parliamentary majority last year, yet still has the biggest group at the National Assembly, where it hopes to ally with the conservative The Republicans party to approve the pension reforms.
Under the planned changes, workers must have worked for at least 43 years to be entitled to a full pension. For those who do not fulfil that condition, like many women who interrupted their career to raise children or those who studied for a long time and started working late, the retirement age would remain unchanged at 67.
Those who started to work under the age of 20 and workers with major health issues would be allowed early retirement.
Protracted strikes met Macron’s last effort to raise the retirement age in 2019. He eventually withdrew it after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Retirement rules vary widely from country to country, making direct comparisons difficult. The official retirement age in the U.S. is now 67, and countries across Europe have been raising pension ages as populations grow older and fertility rates drop.
But opponents of Macron’s reform note that, under the French system, people are already required to work more years overall than in some neighboring countries to receive a full pension. The plan is also seen by many as endangering the welfare state that’s central to French society.
___
Alexander Turnbull, Oleg Cetinic and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
French union workers go on strike nationwide to protest pension reforms
Hundreds of French health workers have been calling for better working conditions in recent months, and were taking part in a nationwide strike to protest a government plan to overhaul the country's pension system. File photo by Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE
Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of French workers walked off the job and took to the streets Thursday as part of a nationwide strike to protest President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to raise the age at which people can retire with benefits.
The protests were seen as a major test of Macron's policies that were meant to shore up the nation's economy amid a persistent inflation crisis and a population seething over high energy costs.
More than 200 demonstrations organized by dozens of trade unions were taking place in every corner of the country, with schools, public transportation and many health and utility services grinding to a standstill for what has been dubbed "Black Thursday."
It was the first time in 12 years that all the country's major unions mobilized under a common cause in what could turn out to be days or even weeks of national unrest. Police were also bracing for a massive protest in Paris throughout the day.
Union leaders said Thursday's demonstrations were only the "first day of mobilization" and suggested that they would keep up the pressure on Macron until he rescinded the plan.
"This is the first day. And when we say that, we mean there will be others ... everywhere if possible," Philippe Martinez, the head of the CGT union, told French media.
Thursday's strikes impacted dozens of industries, with trains throughout the country not running, and many flights canceled after workers didn't show up for the day
Public trains in urban areas were feeling the brunt of the strike, with most regional operations and some international connections shutting down service. Ferry services to and from Calais were suspended, with the P&O Ferries telling passengers to look for other options.
Transport workers are typically required by law to maintain a minimum level of service, but operators warned there were no guarantees of availability amid the strikes.
Police unions, theater employees, music venues and banks were also teaming up with the effort. Electricity workers also scaled back power supplies in some areas.
The Port of Dover was "still open with services to Dunkirk running as normal" but facilities were packed with stranded travelers.
Macron's proposal would raise the legal retirement age from 62 -- when most French workers typically stop working -- to at least 64 or 65 years, meaning all citizens would need to stay on the job for several additional years to qualify for a full pension.
The plan is deeply unpopular, with nearly 70% of French citizens opposing it. Polls show that a majority of young people who will not retire for decades also believe the measure is wrong for the country.
The French president has previously expressed a strong commitment to pension reform, calling it one of his most important pursuits due to an aging population in which millions of retirees currently draw $1,500 a month from the government, threatening to bankrupt the country over time.
The administration has indicated that it does not intend to back down, although Macron has made a few concessions already, including a guarantee that all workers will begin receiving a pension of at least $1,288 per month, which was a major demand from the opposition party.
Unions call the proposal unfair and unprecedented, saying it would lead to lower earnings and drastically upend the traditional mold of retirement, which is considered a birthright in France.
Previous efforts to overhaul the retirement system have failed after being met with fierce public protests.
The pension overhaul also faces an uphill battle in France's National Assembly, where Macron's Renaissance Party no longer holds a majority after last June's parliamentary elections.
The president would need to win considerable support from the new conservative majority to fulfill the reforms, and such a scenario was plausible since Macron's administration has pushed through several other reform bills with help from Republicans. However, some conservative lawmakers were not as optimistic about Macron's chances this time, given the contentious nature of pension reform.
The outcome on pension reform holds deep implications for Macron's other planned reforms and stands to impact his overall ability to govern during the remaining years of his second term.
There is some fear that Macron could become a lame-duck president if the retirement measure ultimately fails. Macron could invoke article 49.3 of the French constitution to bypass parliament on the issue, but doing so would risk a no-confidence vote that could result in his removal from office and tarnish his legacy.
Hundreds of French health workers have been calling for better working conditions in recent months, and were taking part in a nationwide strike to protest a government plan to overhaul the country's pension system. File photo by Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE
Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of French workers walked off the job and took to the streets Thursday as part of a nationwide strike to protest President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to raise the age at which people can retire with benefits.
The protests were seen as a major test of Macron's policies that were meant to shore up the nation's economy amid a persistent inflation crisis and a population seething over high energy costs.
More than 200 demonstrations organized by dozens of trade unions were taking place in every corner of the country, with schools, public transportation and many health and utility services grinding to a standstill for what has been dubbed "Black Thursday."
It was the first time in 12 years that all the country's major unions mobilized under a common cause in what could turn out to be days or even weeks of national unrest. Police were also bracing for a massive protest in Paris throughout the day.
Union leaders said Thursday's demonstrations were only the "first day of mobilization" and suggested that they would keep up the pressure on Macron until he rescinded the plan.
"This is the first day. And when we say that, we mean there will be others ... everywhere if possible," Philippe Martinez, the head of the CGT union, told French media.
Thursday's strikes impacted dozens of industries, with trains throughout the country not running, and many flights canceled after workers didn't show up for the day
Public trains in urban areas were feeling the brunt of the strike, with most regional operations and some international connections shutting down service. Ferry services to and from Calais were suspended, with the P&O Ferries telling passengers to look for other options.
Transport workers are typically required by law to maintain a minimum level of service, but operators warned there were no guarantees of availability amid the strikes.
Police unions, theater employees, music venues and banks were also teaming up with the effort. Electricity workers also scaled back power supplies in some areas.
The Port of Dover was "still open with services to Dunkirk running as normal" but facilities were packed with stranded travelers.
Macron's proposal would raise the legal retirement age from 62 -- when most French workers typically stop working -- to at least 64 or 65 years, meaning all citizens would need to stay on the job for several additional years to qualify for a full pension.
The plan is deeply unpopular, with nearly 70% of French citizens opposing it. Polls show that a majority of young people who will not retire for decades also believe the measure is wrong for the country.
The French president has previously expressed a strong commitment to pension reform, calling it one of his most important pursuits due to an aging population in which millions of retirees currently draw $1,500 a month from the government, threatening to bankrupt the country over time.
The administration has indicated that it does not intend to back down, although Macron has made a few concessions already, including a guarantee that all workers will begin receiving a pension of at least $1,288 per month, which was a major demand from the opposition party.
Unions call the proposal unfair and unprecedented, saying it would lead to lower earnings and drastically upend the traditional mold of retirement, which is considered a birthright in France.
Previous efforts to overhaul the retirement system have failed after being met with fierce public protests.
The pension overhaul also faces an uphill battle in France's National Assembly, where Macron's Renaissance Party no longer holds a majority after last June's parliamentary elections.
The president would need to win considerable support from the new conservative majority to fulfill the reforms, and such a scenario was plausible since Macron's administration has pushed through several other reform bills with help from Republicans. However, some conservative lawmakers were not as optimistic about Macron's chances this time, given the contentious nature of pension reform.
The outcome on pension reform holds deep implications for Macron's other planned reforms and stands to impact his overall ability to govern during the remaining years of his second term.
There is some fear that Macron could become a lame-duck president if the retirement measure ultimately fails. Macron could invoke article 49.3 of the French constitution to bypass parliament on the issue, but doing so would risk a no-confidence vote that could result in his removal from office and tarnish his legacy.
Pension reform: Political divides and mass protests over proposed changes to retirement
Huge protests across France: 400,000 people gather in Paris to demonstrate against President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reform, which aims to raise the age of retirement to 64. Guests on the France 24 Debate discuss crucial issues like the timing of this reform, and how to negotiate the social and financial challenges of pension policy.
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