French trade unions on February 7 launched new mass actions against raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years, protests are taking place throughout the country.
In connection with the marches blocked part of the roads in the center of Paris. Unions have canceled dozens of trains. The order is guarded by about 11 thousand law enforcement officers, the BFM.TV channel reports.
Transport workers were the first to go on strike. At the call of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), teams serving regional trains did not come to work. As CGT chief Philippe Martinez pointed out, a move to “tougher, more numerous and more massive” strikes is needed in order for the French government to cancel plans to raise the retirement age.
The CGT has announced that protests in Marseille will bring together up to 180,000 participants. The procession in the city began at 10:30 local time (12:30 Moscow time).
The action has become the third nationwide, trade unions believe that it will be a turning point in the fight against the government’s intention to raise the retirement age of the French.
By now, the procession of protesters has begun from the Opera Garnier, the participants are moving towards Place de la Bastille. As follows from the slogans in the hands of the working people, they are demanding an increase in the size of pensions, and not an increase in the retirement age.
Promotions also take place in Nice, Toulouse, Le Havre and other French cities.
Protest organizers have already said protests in France will continue on Saturday, with more participants expected.
On the eve of the deputies of the National Assembly of France rejected the proposal of the left coalition to abandon the pension reform.
The first general demonstration took place on 19 January. According to the trade union, the rally in Paris had 400,000 participants, and a total of 2 million people protested in 200 rallies in the country. On January 31, a second nationwide strike took place in France against raising the retirement age. Then the police in Paris detained 23 people.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born on January 10 introduced a reform according to which the retirement age in the country will rise from 62 to 64 years. So, from September 1, 2023, the retirement period will gradually increase and will reach 64 years in 2030.
