The week of March 13 was marked by numerous strikes renewed by most public sectors. Wednesday March 15 marked the eighth day of mobilization against the pension reform. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 480,000 people were gathered in France. The CGT for its part notes the figure of 1.7 million demonstrators. With the rebounding high day of Thursday, March 16, the mobilizations, strikes and protests are far from over.
Elisabeth Borne triggered Thursday article 49.3 of the Constitution allowing the government to pass this reform without a vote of the Assembly. Within the Hemicycle itself, the reactions were not long in coming. Indeed, the opposition held up signs “64 years old, it’s no” while singing the Marseillaise, as can be seen in the BFMTV broadcast. Following, a call from the Solidaires union brought together nearly 10,000 people at Place de la Concorde, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior. This spontaneous demonstration became the scene of clashes between demonstrators and police during the night.
This use of 49.3, for the eleventh time under Elisabeth Borne, therefore angered the unions. Indeed, the majority of unions in different sectors specified before Thursday that there would be a hardening of the strike if this article was mobilized. The strikes are in particular already renewed for the garbage collectors whose union announced to continue the strike until next Monday. For the moment, no lengthening has been pronounced since the announcement of 49.3.
Nevertheless, an inter-union meeting Thursday evening announced the next episodes of mobilization and the sectors which will possibly renew the strike. On the morning of March 17, an individual action took place on the Paris ring road and moved to the different gates of this road. Indeed, following a call from the CGT, the ring road was blocked at Porte de Clignancourt, then at Porte de Montreuil and Porte d’Italie, as reported by Le Parisien.
At the same time, a motion of censure by the centrist group Libertés, Indépendants, Outre-Mer et Territoires (LIOT) was tabled in the afternoon to counter the use of 49.3. A second motion of censure was subsequently tabled by the National Rally, as reported by BFMTV.
More and more individualized actions will also take place in the coming days. What renewals and mobilizations have already been announced? Check out our slideshow below to see the new challenge schedule.
