/ world today news/ After the “forcible” adoption of the pension reform without the approval of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne barely kept her post on Monday, and angry young people took to the streets again. About the crisis of power in France – in the material.
The pension reform
“The republic, the constitution, our institutions are at risk. The national debt is three trillion euros, the education system is broken, the judiciary is in question, nuclear power is collapsing, street safety has become a problem, immigration is out of control, prices are rise and so on. In short, I apologize for the harsh words, but we are stuck in shit”, declared the famous journalist and columnist Pascal Prod, opening the morning show of the popular news channel CNews.
Financial, economic, energy crises, the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic – in this already difficult situation, the extremely unpopular pension reform has become a catalyst for popular protest. Despite the obvious dissatisfaction of citizens, Emmanuel Macron decided by all means to implement one of the key projects of his social policy – to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
According to polls, 70% of residents are against the bill: no one wants to work two more years. In addition, in order to receive a full pension, you will have to accumulate 43 years of work experience, and this is not at all easy – after the age of 50-55 it is very difficult to find a job. It is believed that the transformation will hit the hardest on low-income families, as well as the gradually disappearing middle class, whose representatives are getting poorer with each passing year.
Within two months before the day of the parliamentary vote, the French trade unions organized mass strikes and protests, brought millions of citizens to peaceful demonstrations.
In the Senate (the upper house), the bill was expectedly approved: there the presidential majority and the center-right prevail. However, in the National Assembly, Macron’s representatives lost their absolute majority after the last elections – here the left from the NYPS coalition and the right from Marine Le Pen’s “National Association” are widely represented.
On the eve of the vote, the authorities tried in every way to negotiate support with the center-right Republican Party. It didn’t work out. As a result, the reform was passed by bypassing the lower house – with the help of Article 49.3, which allows the adoption of a law without a vote under the responsibility of the Prime Minister.
On Monday, MPs considered the issue of a vote of no confidence in the government. Elizabeth Bourne’s cabinet was shaky, but it held on, just nine votes short of falling (278 out of the required 287).
Unauthorized actions
The “forceful” adoption of the reform became a boiling point for disgruntled citizens. The protest movement sharply radicalized: for almost a week, spontaneous protests continued in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg, Nantes, Lille, Rennes and other French cities.
Fearing unrest on the day of the vote of no confidence in the government, the authorities took unprecedented security measures. The authorities blocked all approaches to the Elysée Palace and the National Assembly building, restricted access to the Champs Elysees and the Place de la Concorde, mobilized hundreds of police and gendarmerie from special forces to quell the riots, and closed 11 metro stations.
Several thousand people, mostly young people, gathered in Vauban Square in Paris. The special forces units quickly withdrew there and blocked all the neighboring streets.
“We are here! Even if Macron is against it, we are here!” chanted the participants. Anti-government slogans and calls to reverse the unpopular reform were heard in the crowd, and people greeted the news of the vote’s results with roars of outrage.
The situation gradually escalated, stones and bottles flew at the policemen, who responded with tear gas and batons.
Popular anger
As dusk fell, the rally participants gradually dispersed. But not completely: many got off the metro and went to the square in front of Saint-Lazare station, where a new crowd was gathering.
From there, several hundred people marched through the city center to the Louvre, then along rue Rivoli to the Place de la République and then to the Bastille. On the way, the youths chanted anti-government slogans, burned garbage accumulated by the garbage collectors’ strike. “Paris, get up, get up!” shouted the demonstrators.
Clashes began with the arriving security forces, gunfights broke out continuously here and there, pyrotechnics, stones and bottles were used on one side, batons, tear gas and rubber bullets on the other.
The police tried to separate and isolate the demonstrators, but in the city center this proved difficult. To make it difficult for the police to move, young people built improvised barricades on the road from everything they could get their hands on – garbage cans, barriers, scooters and rental bicycles. In small groups, the protesters fled from their pursuers to regroup at one place or another. And so – until late at night.
“We have no choice. If the government in parliament uses force and then uses force in the street, then we have no choice but to respond in kind to be heard,” explained one of the demonstrators.
Meanwhile, the French police act brutally: baton blows and shields rained down left and right as everyone had their way – regardless of gender or age.
At the same time, many are clearly losing their temper. So a video went around social networks – a law enforcement officer punches a man in the face, he falls unconscious on the ground.
In another video, an exasperated police officer tells a protester: “This is the third week I can’t stand you. If you want to live, stay at home, there’s nothing to do here!”
“We have witnessed many scenes unworthy of democracy: police officers who illegally use force against demonstrators and medical volunteers, mass arrests of demonstrators who are sitting in dozens on the ground with their hands behind their heads, threats and insults against journalists,” he stated. in a communiqué, the trade union of justices of the peace.
In total, around 300 people, including 234 in Paris, were detained during Monday’s riots.
The fight continues
Despite the fact that the bill was passed, the opposition will not back down. Representatives of both the left and the right intend to turn to France’s Constitutional Council with a request to consider the reform for compliance with the country’s basic law. They also hope to organize a referendum to cancel the reforms – for this purpose, around five million votes must be collected by the end of the year.
In addition, the opposition will continue to put pressure on the authorities through strikes and demonstrations. “Since the parliamentary process of a vote of no confidence in the government has not worked, the time has come for a public vote of no confidence,” said Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the France Rebellious PP.
He recalled that the inter-union society called on March 23 for a new nationwide strike and protests. “I hope that the voice of the people will be heard as loudly as possible everywhere under all conditions – and this will allow us to achieve the repeal of the bill, as this task remains,” stressed the politician.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron is not going to give up either. He stayed “behind the scenes” for a long time, but on Wednesday he will give a big interview to TV channels TF1 and France-2. According to Agence France-Presse, citing a source in the Elysée Palace, despite public pressure, the president does not plan any reshuffles in the government, nor the refusal of reforms, nor the holding of a referendum on this issue.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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* Considering the diverse perspectives presented, what possible compromises could bridge the divide between the government and the protesters?
This is a great start to a news report about the protests in France. It lays out the context of the pension reform, the government’s response, and the public’s reaction.
Here are some open-ended questions to encourage discussion and different viewpoints based on the themes in the article:
**The Pension Reform:**
* **What are the arguments for and against raising the retirement age in France?** (This encourages debate about economic necessity, social welfare, and quality of life.)
* **How do the experiences of different generations in France (young people vs. older generations) shape their perspectives on this reform?** (This explores intergenerational conflict and solidarity.)
* **How might the reform’s impact on low-income families and the middle class change the social fabric of France?** (This delves into the potential long-term consequences.)
**The Government’s Response:**
* **Was the government justified in using Article 49.3 to bypass a parliamentary vote? Why or why not?** (This probes the balance between democratic processes and efficiency.)
* **How has the government’s handling of the situation impacted public trust in its leaders?** (This examines the broader implications for political stability.)
**The Public’s Reaction:**
* **What underlying social and economic anxieties might be fueling the intensity of the protests?** (This calls for analysis beyond the immediate issue of pensions.)
* **How effective are violent protests in achieving social change? What are the potential risks and benefits?** (This sparks a debate about the ethics and efficacy of different forms of activism.)
* **What role can dialog and compromise play in resolving this crisis?** (This encourages hope for peaceful solutions.)
**The Future:**
* **What are the potential long-term consequences of this conflict for French society?** (This prompts reflection on the lasting impact.)
* **How might this situation influence future political debates and elections in France?** (This looks ahead to the broader political landscape.)
In addition to these thematic questions, you can also ask more specific questions about the report itself:
* **What are some of the most striking images or quotes from the article?**
* **How does the article portray the different viewpoints involved? Is it balanced?**
* **What questions do you still have after reading the article?**
By asking open-ended questions, you can spark a thoughtful and engaging discussion about this complex and important issue.
