A million people rise against Macron’s pension reforms in France
The decision to push back the age of retirement from 62 to 64 has not gone down well in France. Demonstrators hit the streets holding placards that read, ‘Macron’s pension, it is a no’, and ‘It’s salaries and pensions that must be increased, not the retirement age’
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Over a million French workers carried out nationwide strikes on 19 January, denouncing President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to increase the retirement age. The majority of French citizens would have to continue working for an additional two years before retiring if the country’s new pension system underwent the revisions. AFP
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The trade unions in a joint statement said, “Now, the government finds itself with its back to the wall.” They added, “Everyone knows that raising the retirement age only benefits employers and the wealthy,” according to Wion. AP
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According to CNN, France’s eight largest unions that cover transportation, education, police, executives and public sectors called for the “first day of strikes and protests” against the proposed pensions reform. AP
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As per the data shared by the Interior Ministry, over 1.1 million people participated in strikes. Workers were seen holding placards that read, “Macron’s pension, it is a no,” and “It’s salaries and pensions that must be increased, not the retirement age.” AP
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Protests in major French cities, such as Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes and Nice disrupted train services, flights, schools and businesses across the country. The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors, reported CNN. AP
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As per Wion, the protesters have been arguing that increasing the retirement age will benefit the rich only. They have claimed that there are alternative methods for funding pensions, such as taxing the extremely wealthy or raising employer payments to pensions for the wealthy. AP
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Despite the French government’s claims that it is required to address a pension funding deficit, the revisions have infuriated workers at a time when living expenses are rising. According to CNN, employees in France and others are feeling the pinch as a result of rising food and energy costs. This is why Macron is proposing pension adjustments. AP
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As per the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, France has spent nearly 14 per cent of its GDP on state pensions in 2018, which is more than most other countries. AP
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Notably, in France, reforming pensions has been a hotly debated topic. In 1995, mass protests put an end to reform efforts, and subsequent governments encountered fierce opposition to the reforms that were passed in 2004, 2008, and 2010. AFP
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As per AFP, Macron’s last attempt at pension reform in 2019, was also met with massive strikes before it was aborted a year later when COVID-19 hit Europe. AP
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