Protesters shut power down in Cannes Film Festival over pension reform

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 May 2023 21:14

The CGT told reporters that they targeted power supplies across several hotels and restaurants across the city, as well as the Cannes Palais des Festivals.

The Palme d'Or trophy is pictured at Chopard Jewellery House, Meyrin, near Geneva, France, May 10, 2022. (AFP)

French sources reported on Tuesday that several parts of France's Cannes, including the Cannes Center where the 76th Cannes film festival is currently taking place, have been left without power in light of ongoing protests over the pension reforms.

Last month, the National Federation of Mines and Energy, a French trade union affiliated with the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), issued a warning that it plans to cut power to the Cannes Film Festival as an act of protest. French authorities said earlier this month that they plan to increase security measures at the festival due to the demonstrations.

Around 1:00 PM Paris time (11:00 GMT), the entire central part of Canne's Boulevard de la Croisette was left with no gas. At that very moment, all the restaurants in the affected area were filled with clients, according to BMFTV.

Earlier this morning, French media said that protesters had gathered in great numbers near the Cannes train station to protest the pension reform plan.

The CGT told reporters that they targeted power supplies across several hotels and restaurants across the city, as well as the Cannes Palais des Festivals.

Last Friday, the CGT rallied near the Carlton Cannes where numerous actors are staying to attend the film festival.

A poll released on May 4 showed that the majority of French citizens support additional strikes and protests in opposition to President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform.

Asked whether protests should resume, 55% of respondents were either whole-heartedly or mostly in favor, as per the Ifop survey for Sud Radio.

In addition, the survey found that 74% of participants thought France might experience a social explosion in the near future. In further detail, 1,008 French individuals who were 18 years of age and older participated in the survey from May 1-2.

It is worth noting that Wednesday witnessed a rejection by the French Constitutional Council of the lawmakers' request for a second time for a referendum on the controversial pension reform by President Emmanuel Macron.

The request was submitted by 253 left-wing opposition politicians, as a Constitutional Council statement read that "the bill submitted for consideration does not represent a reform relating to the social policy of the nation."