Million-plus protest in France as tensions flare over pension reform
Ryan King
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Over 1 million people stormed the streets in France or partook in strikes Thursday as simmering tensions over pension reform erupted.
Demonstrations gripped cities such as Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes, and Nice, grinding schools and public transportation systems to a halt. Workers and allies rallied against President Emmanuel Macron’s sweeping pension reform proposal. It would raise the state pension retirement age from 62 to 64.
Eight of the nation’s largest unions called for a mammoth wave of protests against the proposal.
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Smoke and loud grumblings filled some of the streets of France as some demonstrations turned into riots, with angry protesters hurling fireworks, bottles, and rocks at law enforcement.
Macron’s government has insisted that pension reform is needed to keep the fund solvent, but workers are concerned that the measure is coming amid a rising cost of living.
Nearly 80,000 demonstrators stormed Paris and over a million people protested nationwide, according to France’s Interior Ministry. France has a population of about 68 million.
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One of France’s largest unionists, Philippe Martinez, estimated that there had been over 2 million demonstrators and that 400,000 joined the march from Place de la Republique in Paris, per CNN. Energized by the forceful showing Thursday, union organizations are calling for another day of protest on Jan. 31.
Over 40% of primary school instructors and a third of high school teachers participated in the strike, the country’s education ministry estimated. Airports and trains suffered mass delays or cancellations. Even the Eiffel Tower was closed to tourists amid the unrest.
Macron, a centrist who won reelection last year, has long sought to tinker with France’s pension system, though he has been stymied by fierce popular opposition. He previously attempted a similar reform back in 2019 but dropped it after massive backlash.
France has one of the most generous public pension systems in the developed world, accounting for about 14% of its gross domestic product, compared to 7% in the United States, according to the Washington Post.
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Currently, most French workers can collect a full pension upon retirement at 62 if they’ve contributed for 42 years. The proposed measure would up that to 64 and mandate 43 years of contributions. Should it go into effect, the plan is projected to scrap the pension deficit by 2030.
“If you want the pact between generations to be fair, we must proceed with this reform,” Macron told reporters in Spain, per CNN.