Great crisis in France: ‘Retirement rebellion could end Macron’

The plan to raise the retirement age, which brought France to its feet and brought millions onto the streets, inflamed the country’s democracy debate.

With a surprise decision, the French government announced yesterday that it has implemented article 49 paragraph 3 of the Constitution on the plan to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. In this way, the government ensured that the controversial law was approved without a vote in the Assembly.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne defended the need for the reform by stating that the bill was discussed in parliament for 175 hours. Borne also acknowledged that they did not have enough votes in the National Assembly to pass the pension reform bill.

‘GREAT ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY’

During Borne’s speech, opposition lawmakers sang the French National Anthem, as voices of boos rose from the opposition seats in parliament. Marine Le Pen, vice president of the far-right National Unity (RN) party group, announced that she would present a motion of no confidence in parliament, saying: “This is a democratic coup.”

Fabien Roussel, general secretary of the French Communist Party, said: “This is no longer a fight not only for workers but also for democracy.”

The opposition described the government’s move as a “great attack on democracy and the French people.” While large demonstrations were taking place in various cities across the country, including the capital Paris, more than 300 people were detained.

As clashes broke out between the police and the crowd in the Place de la Concorde, some protesters erected barricades and set garbage and vehicles on fire.

Following the decision, trade unionists, the Yellow Vests and the former presidential candidate of the left-wing Unbreakable France party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, took part in demonstrations at the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

THE VOICES OF ‘REQUEST FROM THE GOVERNMENT’ RISE

The demonstrations have been compared to the yellow vest protests in France in 2018 that brought Macron’s government to the brink of collapse.

In a poll conducted in France after the government approved the controversial pension reform without a vote in the National Assembly, 71 percent of those polled said they wanted the government to resign.

The American research organization Harris Interactive asked the French for their opinion on the government for the French media. The survey revealed that if the opposition puts a vote of no confidence on the table, 71 percent of French people want it to be accepted and the government to resign.

The garbage crisis grows in the streets of France because of the strikes. The Paris Police Department began forcibly employing striking cleaning workers on the grounds that thousands of tons of rubbish threatened public health. Workers who oppose this can be imprisoned for up to 6 months and fined 10 thousand euros.

On the other hand, even if the reform bill is accepted, 65 percent of the participants expressed an opinion in favor of continuing the mass demonstrations and strikes.

Massive strikes and demonstrations against the pension reform announced by the government on January 10 have repeatedly brought the French to the streets for weeks. Although the strikes paralyzed life in the country, the opposition is expected to harden after yesterday’s decision, which was seen as a turning point in the process.

Some political analysts argue that Macron, who is trying to win the support of the business world with his retirement plan, could cost him power in the medium term. It is claimed that this process may also lead to the rise of the extreme right in the country. (AGENCIES)