Photo: APToday, the sixth general strike began in France due to President Emmanuel Macron's intention to reform the pension system. The employers announced that they would reduce the amount of wages for the days spent on strike, which did not affect its organizers. So far, the protests have not caused serious damage to the French economy
Today, for the sixth time since January 19, mass protests and strikes are being held in France due to the intention of President Emmanuel Macron to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Demonstrations are taking place in at least 260 cities, with police saying between 1,1 and 1,4 million people are expected to attend.
As of this morning, most trains and subways are not running, most schools are not working, work in refineries has been suspended, fuel is not being delivered, and electricity production has been reduced, the BBC reports.
As early as Friday, energy production at several nuclear power plants was reduced, which led to a decrease in overall supply, and union representatives warned that production will continue to decrease as the strikes continue.
One of the union leaders, Emmanuel Lepin, said that by blocking the delivery of fuel, "it will bring the French economy to its knees." Eight refineries are operating in France, and the largest CGT union said strikers had blocked access to each of them, including those operated by Total Energies and Esso Exxon.
Seven education unions have called for a "total closure" of schools. Louis Boyard, a deputy of the left-wing France Unconquered party, headed by the populist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, announced the action of mass blockades during today's national protest.
Boyar called on high school and college students on Twitter to block access to their educational institutions so that the demands of the strikers would resonate better. The president of the Ile-de-France region, Valerie Pécres, responded by filing a lawsuit against Boyar for "inciting the criminal offense of obstruction and incitement to violence."
"The right to demonstrate must not jeopardize the right to study." Calling for blockades of high schools and colleges creates the risk of confrontation. The statements of arsonist Luj Boyar are irresponsible. "Educational institutions are havens that have nothing to do with violence," said Valerie Pekres.
Eric Cellini from the CGT trade union said that "The government says it won't give up, but neither will we." I am convinced that there will be more than two million people on the streets today. We will continue until the government withdraws the proposal from the parliament."
The reform of the pension system would provide the pension fund with an additional 17,7 billion euros per year. Unions agree that these funds are needed, but believe that they should be provided by additional taxation of the richest in the country. A heated debate in parliament on the draft law ended without discussion on the controversial provision on raising the age limit for old-age pension.
Polls show that most voters oppose the reform and consider it unfair, but the government claims that raising the age limit is necessary to bring the pension fund out of deficit by 2030.
Despite everything, the Government announced that it will not give up on the proposed reform.
The straw that broke the camel's back among workers was the employers' announcement that they would reduce the amount of wages for the days spent on strike, according to BFM television.
In the coming days, the unions plan to increase the volume of protests and strikes.
So far, the protests have not caused serious damage to the French economy.
S.Ć./FoNet / Euronews / BBC
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