Protesters flood France a day ahead of final decision on pension plan

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen Net + Agencies
13 Apr 2023 22:20
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France's largest unions confirm that the demonstrations will not stop even if the reform plan is adopted tomorrow.

Protesters take part in a demonstration against the French government's pension reform plan as part of the eighth day of national strikes and protests, in Ancenis-Saint-Gereon, France, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Protesters clashed with French security forces on Thursday across the country, objecting to the pension reforms undertaken by Macron's government one day ahead of the final decision by the Constitutional Council to pass the bill, some of it, or dismiss it entirely.

Public outrage has erupted for months over the pension plan - which adopts a two-year extension of the current retirement age to 64.

Large numbers of security forces were deployed in the vicinity of the Constitutional Council, which is based in the Palais Royal in central Paris.

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that clashes erupted between French security forces and demonstrators in Paris, while police attempted to disperse the angry crowds using gas canisters and force.

"The mobilization is far from over," Sophie Binet, the new leader of CGT, announced while participating in demonstrations in Paris. "As long as this reform isn’t withdrawn, the mobilization will continue in one form or another."

Fabien Villedieu, leader of Sad-Rail Union, said that to fail the law, it must be done either by the Council or by continued protests.

“We must get out of this situation. And the best way is to withdraw the law, either by the Constitutional Council or by mobilization, which we want to maintain,” he said.

مواجهات بين الشرطة الفرنسية والمتظاهرين خلال الاحتجاجات في #باريس.

موفد الميادين إلى #فرنسا موسى عاصي@moussaassi pic.twitter.com/SpTMDyakg3
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) April 13, 2023

According to the Interior Ministry - which always publishes estimates significantly lower than that of the countries' major unions - the number of protesters in Paris reached 42,000, down from 57,000 last week.

A report by AFP said nationwide protests saw 380,000 participants, down from 570,000 last week, as the country witnesses the 12th day of demonstrations.

Our correspondent pointed out that the CGT union said 400,000 demonstrators marched the streets of Paris alone, and 1.5 million people marched across the country.

🇫🇷 France Pension reforms

Massive protest in Paris on the eve of a much anticipated decision from the Constitutional Council. Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrate across the country

Macron's govt thought the movement was running out of steam, too bad it's getting bigger pic.twitter.com/hg3h0gXjVh
— Freddie Ponton..🇫🇷 (@LFCNewsMedia) April 13, 2023

A spokesperson for Paris law enforcement said, “At least a thousand radical individuals present at the forefront of the demonstration area tried on several occasions to commit acts of violence along the route and to hinder the smooth progress of the demonstration."

Last March, the French government announced adopting the pension reform plan under article 49.3 - an article that allows the government to pass a law without a vote in parliament.

Last year, Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne resorted to Article 49.3 ten times to push the 2023 budget bill through the lower house of parliament.

The legal clause allowed Borne to pass the bill without lawmakers’ approval and justified her decision on the basis that her cabinet was working on a busy schedule.