France: 24 hours after another gigantic march, Macron seeks a way out of the crisis due to his pension reform

The political climate is dangerously intoxicated in France. Violence grows and union leaders demand the Constitutional Council, the French Supreme Court, to withdraw the pension reform so as not to further fuel radicalization, anger and risks, in the face of a police force that brutally represses.

They are joined by politicians and Medef, which brings together the captains of the industry, which calls “to change methods because this does not work”, referring to the lack of dialogue between the executive and the unions. The Medef warned that if the violence continues “it will discourage investors.”

tenth gear

As France prepares for the tenth mass mobilization of traditional unions on Tuesday, the leader of the largest and most moderate CFTC, Laurent Leger confirmed that he had received a call from the Élysée general secretary, Alexis Kohler, on Monday.

“I told him what I have said in the media. You have to rule out 64 years and take a break. And talk about work, about retirements in the coming months, “she said.

The boss of the first union in France called on the government to “provisionally withdraw” its reform bill. ”There is a strong social tension and a risk of violence. It is a demand from the CFDT”, remarked Laurent Berger.

“There is a very deep resentment, an anger that grows. It will be better to lower the temperature than to stir things up. I am very worried”, acknowledged the union leader.

Berger condemned the violence

Berger condemned the violence. “Unfortunately we have seen too many images of people breaking up instead of people demonstrating. The weather is dangerous. A reason to pause, ”he warned.

A dialogue between the unions and the government is essential at this time, after the violent repression in the environmental demonstration of Deux Sevres left 600 injured and five between life and death, on Saturday.

The environmental demonstration of Deux Sevres. Photo: Thibaud Moritz / AFP

The CGT and the CFDT are going to make a show of force throughout the country in the march on Tuesday. In Paris it will extend from the Place de la République to the Bastille to end at the Place de la Nation.

The fear is that it will be infiltrated again by the Black Blocs and end up with a burning journey as happened on Thursday, between the Grands Boulevards and the Opera Square.

Dialogue?

Government spokesman Olivier Veran said that “we spoke with Laurent Berger. We extend our hand. The CFDT does not deny that the retirement system must be reformed, but we have a disagreement. We are not going to freeze the country around that disagreement. My conviction is that we are going to find the unions around the table in a few days, in a few weeks”.

The CGT, the second workers’ union, is changing its leader. In their congress in Clermont Ferrand they debate to find the successor of Philippe Martínez, current secretary general. Marie Buisson, general secretary of the FERC Education Federation, could be his replacement.

Young students from high schools and universities have joined the protest. The Paris Dauphine University was blocked on the morning of this Monday. It is a symbol in France that the protests do not subside but rather burn when the students join.

Stop police repression

More than 60,000 signatures have been added to dissolve the BRAV-M motorized police brigade, created in 2019 during the fight against the Yellow Vests, with two policemen on each motorcycle. In this battle against the reforms, it has become the symbol of police abuse. The mayoress of Paris Anne Hidalgo denounced this “inadmissible police violence”.

French Nobel laureate for literature Annie Ernaux has supported an investigation after four young students said they were sexually assaulted by police officers in Nantes following a demonstration against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms.

Riot police during protests in Toulouse. Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

new tone

The government promises to no longer use article 49.3 of the Constitution that allowed Parliament to not vote on the pension reform. Only on budget issues. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne received the majority leaders and on Wednesday she will receive the opposition leaders.

They will have to de-escalate because the political and social crisis is on its way to becoming a regime crisis. The anger is directed at President Emmanuel Macron, at his inability to listen or change his mind.

The deputies in the National Assembly want to be heard in this deaf climate. They think of leaving an empty chair as a sign of protest to change the parliamentary method.

The leader of the Unsubdued France, Jean Luc Mélenchon, demands to start over with the reforms and the departure of Prime Minister Borne, who wants to “calm the tensions” and offers to “listen”. The website of the National Assembly was blocked by a pro-Russian hacker attack.

renewed strikes

Although the garbage collectors have lifted 2,000 tons of garbage in Paris, there are still 8,000 to collect. Photo: AP

The renewed strikes continue in France. Although the garbage collectors have lifted 2,000 tons of garbage in Paris, there are still 8,000 to collect.

The Auberviliers garbage truck depot is blocked to prevent the requisition to collect the garbage.

The Louvre blocked

The Total company site in Pau was blocked. The Louvre museum was unable to open on Monday due to the strike.

The Louvre museum was unable to open on Monday due to the strike. Photo: Christophe Archambault / AFP

The police occupied the square of the Pompidou Center because on social networks a wild demonstration was announced for today.

For this Tuesday, the disturbances in transport will continue, the Metro, the Rer (suburban train) and 20 percent of flights in Paris, Orly, Marseille, Toulouse and Bordeaux will be reduced.

The fuel shortage continues, with 27 departments with 30 percent of their service stations having difficulties. The demonstrations this Tuesday will be throughout France.

Paris, correspondent

ap​

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