Demonstrations, marred by clashes and violence between walkers and the police, were organized in several French cities on Tuesday at the call of the inter-union, to protest against the pension reform, adopted via the constitutional weapon of the 49.3.
During this tenth day of mobilization, more than 2 million people demonstrated according to the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), and 740,000 according to the Ministry of the Interior.
In the capital, where violent clashes took place between demonstrators and police, the CGT announced 450,000 demonstrators. The police headquarters has identified 93,000 demonstrators.
In Nantes, a bank branch was set on fire and the administrative court targeted, while in Rennes several damages were recorded. Tensions were also identified in Dijon and Toulouse where the police used a water cannon. Strasbourg, Nancy and Besançon also experienced clashes.
At the same time, blockades and pickets have continued for several days, disrupting the supply of fuel to certain regions of France and certain roads or logistics depots.
Train traffic was severely disrupted on Tuesday. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) has also asked airlines to cancel part of their flights on Thursday and Friday, in particular at Paris-Orly airport, due to the air traffic controllers’ strike.
Several tourist sites were also affected by the strike. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe are closed, as is the Palace of Versailles.
After more than three weeks of garbage collectors’ strike, thousands of tons of waste are still disfiguring the French capital. The unions have also announced the “suspension” of their movement from Wednesday.
During the previous day of mobilization on Thursday March 23, some 3.5 million people had beaten the pavement throughout France, according to figures from the CGT, which is as much as the record mobilization of March 7. The authorities had announced, for their part, 1.089 million demonstrators. A mobilization record was also reached in Paris that day with 800,000 demonstrators in the capital according to the CGT, against 119,000 according to the police headquarters.
As a reminder, the controversial pension reform project, which notably provides for the raising of the retirement age from 62 to 64, was adopted without a vote, thanks to article 49.3 of the Constitution which allows the government to engage its responsibility to pass a text of law in the absence of an absolute majority in the National Assembly.
Two motions of censure to bring down the Executive followed, but failed to obtain the sufficient number of votes. The opposition and the unions, for their part, are not giving up.