The French want more protests against Macron's pension reform: Poll

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 May 2023 14:36

Asked whether protests against Macron's pension reform should resume, 55% of respondents were either whole-heartedly or mostly in favor.

Police officers stand guard as members of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) trade union and protesters take part in a demonstration against pension reform in Paris on April 24, 2023. (AFP)

A poll released on Thursday 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."

On the other hand, a ban was announced by police in Paris on unauthorized protests from 5 pm to 2 am outside the Constitutional Council's location of the Palais Royal.

Despite the ban, the opposition expressed its intention to remain on strike.

The National Assembly, which is the lower house of the French Parliament, is expected to review a draft legislation on the repeal of the pension reform handed in by the Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories (LIOT) opposition parliamentary group.

Back in March, the French administration used an emergency constitutional procedure to get the controversial pension bill through parliament, in an attempt to avert a vote in the National Assembly.

After France's top court approved the bill, Macron defied requests to postpone its implementation by signing it, further infuriating the population.