❏ Story of the week
“We too are going to go through in force! chanted the demonstrators during the two big demonstrations that marked the week. The first, undeclared, took place Monday evening, at the call of the inter-union CGT-FO-FSU-AES-Solidaires-UNSA-CFTC-FAFPT, in reaction to the result of the vote of the motion of censure tabled by the Liot group. More than 2,500 people have expressed their anger at what they consider to be “simulacrum of democracy”.
Rebelote Thursday, at 2 p.m., because this reform definitely does not pass. Nearly 20,000 people gathered in Place de la République, brandishing signs that read: “49.3° Celsius, one degree too much. Macron despises his people”; “water boils at 100°C, ‘those who are nothing’ at 49.3” or “we are all Born out”. Compared to previous mobilizations, the atmosphere is more electric, the ranks tighter. Among the demonstrators, various profiles: high school students, railway workers, students, artists, engineers, social workers… They all walk side by side against the forced passage of the reform. “Since no one listens to us, we’re going to shout louder!” »
We also note a newcomer: the young collective “On crevera pas au boulot”, which we presented on Wednesday. Born on March 4, it has a hundred activists from various backgrounds. They rallied around a leaflet written by the Strasbourg-Republic yellow vests, which spread throughout France. Their demands are not limited to retirement, but also encompass the fight against precariousness, the defense of public services and the climate.
At both events, the demonstrators clashed with the police. Trash cans burned and acts of vandalism on one side, use of pepper spray and fillers on the other. Several people were arrested.
❏ The number of the week
41%: this is the sharp drop in the sale of new apartments recorded in the three main regional markets, namely the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg (EMS), the Lorraine Nancy-Metz-Thionville furrow and the metropolis of Reims. The main reasons for this collapse in demand for new housing? The tightening of the conditions for granting real estate loans and the rise in construction costs. This is enough to alarm developers who already fear an extension of the crisis for 2023. “Reservations are down 50% compared to the same period in 2022 for houses and apartments”, lamented Frank Maire, president of the housing division. of the French Building Federation.
An SOS in flowers launched by the residents of the avenue du Rhin: it’s spring and the flowers are growing… Sometimes taking strange shapes! Monday, the association “Reinventing the avenue du Rhin” planted primroses to write three letters: SO S. A warning signal intended for the municipality so that it re-studies the development plans of the axis. In their demands, the transition to twice a lane instead of the current twice two, planted areas and playgrounds. Enough to give a greener face to this very busy and very polluted space.
❏ Quote of the week
“Gender transition is neither a choice nor a fad,” declared Béatrice Denaes. Journalist and teacher at Science Po-Paris, she comes to Strasbourg to talk about her gender transition journey during the study day “Gender identities and sexual orientations in adolescence”. For the occasion, she gave an exclusive interview to our journalist Florent Potier. She takes stock of the acceptance of transidentity today, the misinformation that persists and the elements still to be improved. “We just ask to be respected, to live our life as citizens. Why prohibit us from being equal? she concludes.
❏ The test of the week
The spätzle bar on rue des Frères. As lovers of Alsatian gastronomy, we couldn’t miss this new address for spätzles to take away (since Tentation closed, we’re a little unhappy). Sauce, price, toppings… We tested for you.
