On Thursday Evening, Thousands Gathered in Toulouse to Protest the Adoption of Pension Reform Project without Vote under 49.3 Procedure.

Trade unionists, employees, students reacted strongly this Thursday afternoon to the government’s decision to trigger article 49.3 of the Constitution to have the pension reform project adopted without a vote. A rally took place this evening in Toulouse to protest against the choice of this procedure by the government.

The reactions were quick this Thursday afternoon to the announcement of the choice of 49.3 triggered by the government to have the pension reform project adopted without a vote.

A rally began this Thursday evening around 8 p.m. Place du Capitole. For a time contained behind the town hall by the police, 2 to 3,000 demonstrators were finally able to gain access to the square around 8:15 p.m. A rally that took place in peace before being dispersed by the police around 9:15 p.m., using tear gas.

In Albi where the militants were gathered in inter-union reacted strongly to the chosen method.

It’s a disgust. It shows that the government does not respect democracy. It is a hatred that I show there, compared to all the people who demonstrated.

Philippe Beco

Secretary General CFDT Departmental Union of Tarn

Same disappointment with Éric Bellouni from the FO union in the Tarn.

As Emmanuel Macron had undertaken to respect the democratic debate, it was thought that it would pass by the vote. This is proof of government failure. The movement will harden, it’s not over, until the withdrawal of this reform.

Eric Bellouni – general secretary of the Tarn FO departmental union

In the Lot, several union activists had demonstrated this Thursday in front of the offices of the deputies. Until the announcement of the use of Article 49.3 fell.

49.3 is a denial of democracy. There will be motions of censure. MPs must take their responsibilities and bring down this government. The fight will continue.

Fabien Trayaud – Lot CGT

When the so-called 49.3 procedure was announced, several calls for a rally were launched in Midi-Pyrénées. A rally took place at the end of the day in Albi. Apart from a start of fire in front of the gate of the Tarn Prefecture, no incidents. The gathering dispersed around 8 p.m.

Call for the rally also this evening at 8 p.m. at the level of the Capitole metro in Toulouse. The first leaflets circulated at the Jean Jaurès University.

Also in Toulouse, before that of the Capitole metro, a gathering brought together a few dozen people in front of the Haute-Garonne prefecture a little before 7 p.m.

Another call for a rally was launched by the CGT at 6 p.m. on the Esplanade des Fontaines in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) “against 49.3”. Finally, a rally also scheduled for 6 p.m. in Decazeville (Aveyron) at the call of the inter-union.

In Toulouse, a demonstration (planned before the announcement of 49.3) started at 3 p.m. in the Saint-Cyprien district. Even if the movement showed signs of running out of steam, the Toulouse procession gathered several thousand demonstrators on Thursday afternoon. The participants followed the news in the procession and were quick to react.

The government and Emmanuel Macron were afraid to face the decision of Parliament and they prefer to force through. We expected it. We must continue to fight.

A protester this afternoon in the procession in Toulouse

Many reactions also from the elected officials of Midi-Pyrénées:

The President of the Republic and his government have chosen to impose, through the brutality of 49.3, an unjust and ineffective reform. It is an insult to the world of work and to the French people. I agree with the proposal to organize a shared initiative referendum, as provided for in our Constitution. Far from opposing one legitimacy to another, it on the contrary strengthens our democracy.

Carole Delga – PS president of the Occitanie Region

In the National Assembly, François Piquemal, LFI deputy for Haute-Garonne, wants the “fight to continue in the street”.

On the right, the LR deputy for Lot Aurélien Pradié said he was worried after this chaotic afternoon in the Assembly.

This situation is extremely worrying. The scenes in the hemicycle reflect the fractured state of our country. There are those who want to destabilize our institutions, the far right and the far left, and there is Emmanuel Macron who is playing with fire.

Aurélien Pradié – LR deputy for Lot

Next step to follow again in the National Assembly. As authorized by the Constitution, the oppositions have already announced motions of censure in an attempt to bring down the government and therefore derail the reform.