Late Thursday afternoon and tens of hundreds of French staff had been nonetheless at the streets protesting in opposition to President Emmanuel Macron’s deliberate pension reforms.
Between one million and two-and-a-half-million strikers took section relying on who you imagine. But what is no longer disputed is that those that did take part reject the speculation of placing up the minimal retirement age from 62 to 64.
“Today’s mobilisation reflects the massive opposition, I think nearly 80% of the people are against it, especially among the youngest people,” stated Philippe Martinez, Head of the CGT Trade Union. “So today’s mobilisation reflects the opposition of the citizens of this country to this reform,” added Martinez.
Murielle Guilbert, co-general delegate of Solidaires stated: “We have to put things back on the table and that means a different distribution of wealth. There are ways of financing public services and social protection, except that Macron doesn’t want to talk about it, and that’s the crux of the problem.”
The nationwide strike overshadowed Macron’s talk over with to Barcelona for talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
“It is a reform that has been presented in a democratic way, that has been validated,” explained Macron when asked about the matter by a journalist at a joint press conference with Sanchez, “and that is a reform that is fair and responsible.”
President Macron defends his plans, mentioning that they had been a pledge in his manifesto on which he used to be elected in 2017.
There is a few beef up for them, however Thursday’s fashionable strike displays there could also be really extensive opposition from those that assume the reforms are unfair.