In France, more than a million people took part in demonstrations against the pension reform today, while protesters and police clashed in Paris.
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The Ministry of the Interior announces that approximately one million and 89 thousand people participated in the protests in France, including 119,000 in Paris alone.
These are the largest demonstrations in the capital since the beginning of these protests in January. Nationally, the number of protesters was more than twice the number of demonstrators on March 15, the previous major protests, but was less than the 1.28 million who protested in France on March 7.
In Paris, police used tear gas and batons against protesters after several protesters threw rocks and firecrackers at police.
Elsewhere, protesters lit bonfires and set garbage on fire in the streets. Firefighters had to intervene to put them out.
The Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanen, announced that 123 policemen and gendarmes were injured in the clashes.
In Paris today, around 5,000 policemen ensured order, and in the whole country – 12,000.
The CGT union says around 800,000 people took part in protests in Paris today, with around 3.5 million across the country. Official estimates are generally much more modest than those reported by unions.
The trade unions have called for nationwide strikes and demonstrations also next Thursday, when the British King Charles III is scheduled to visit France.
As reported, the government, using the controversial article 49, part 3 of the constitution, decided last Thursday to approve the pension system reform bill with a decree, refusing to vote in the National Assembly. This caused outrage among members of parliament and the public.
On the other hand, yesterday French President Emmanuel Macron said that he wants the pension reform to come into effect by the end of the year, stressing that it is necessary.
The reform of the pension system is one of the cornerstones of Macron’s second presidency.
The main component of the reform is raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. In addition, it is planned to extend the mandatory social insurance contribution period for receiving a full pension.
At the same time, it is planned to increase the minimum pension to 1,200 euros.
The government states that the reform is necessary because the current pension system is not sustainable and is threatened with a deficit in the near future.
