All of France’s major trade unions have united in protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s government over its call to raise the retirement age to 64.
The key pension reform led the 875,000-member Democratic Confederation of Labour to finally mobilise on a day of industrial action and demonstrations across the country.
“We have been pro-reform up until this point but the government has crossed a red line,” said a spokesman. “We will be joining today’s protests with other unions.”
Thousands of workers gathered in central Paris on Tuesday for a march on the 13th consecutive day of walkouts that have crippled transport and shut schools and tourist attractions .
France National Strike - In pictures
Police barricaded the Elysée Palace, the President’s residence, ahead of the protest, in case of violence by yellow vest activists or Black Bloc anarchists.
Pressure is mounting on Mr Macron after the key architect of his pension overhaul, Jean-Paul Delevoye, quit yesterday over alleged conflicts of interest.
The current retirement age in France is 62 — compared with 65 in the UK — but workers on special plans, from train drivers to opera singers, can step down 10 years earlier.
Mr Macron’s prime minister, Edouard Philippe, said that under his new regime workers will need to work until 64 to get a full pension. “We’ll encourage people to work longer,” he added.
Both Mr Philippe and Mr Macron have insisted the government will not back down following two weeks of transport stoppages and street violence.
Read More
Paris City Hall today warned of a potential flashpoint at the Place de la Bastille, a famous protest square. It is being renovated but, despite opposition from the Mayor, the government is allowing a march to pass through it.
“It is dangerous to expose this particularly sensitive construction site to the marchers,” said Emmanuel Gregoire, first assistant to the Mayor. “We are now asking for security guarantees.”
He added that Black Bloc anarchists — known for throwing bricks at police and starting fires — were expected at the protests. In the past, construction machinery has been hijacked to try to destroy government buildings.
Bastille is the site of the now demolished prison that was stormed at the start of the French Revolution in 1789.
