9th mass strike against controversial pension plan in France

Many industry workers in France, including energy, transport and education, are protesting the pension reform, which was approved without a vote in parliament today.

While thousands of tons of rubbish accumulated in the capital Paris due to the strike by cleaning workers, the strike by workers in the transport sector began to cause major disruptions to train and bus services.

On the other hand, due to ongoing strikes at many refineries in the country, especially at Normandy, which is affiliated with TotalEnergies, there were fuel shortages across the country.
About 15 percent of gas stations in 40 regions across the country have become unable to provide service due to “fuel shortages.”

Due to fuel shortages, long queues of vehicles began to form in front of the stations in many regions.

MILLIONS WILL TAKE TO THE STREETS

On the other hand, within the framework of the strikes, millions of people are expected to take to the streets and start protests in many cities, especially in Paris. In strikes supported by opposition parties, protesters are demanding that the government, which, at the request of President Emmanuel Macron, accepted the pension reform without a vote in parliament, withdraw the reform.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced on March 16 that she had put in place Article 49 paragraph 3 of the Constitution, which allows a bill to pass to Parliament without a vote, for the bill on the reform of pensions. Following the decision, demonstrations have been held across the country for 8 consecutive days.

Nearly 900 demonstrators were detained during the protests, where the police intervened heavily. The reflection of the images of some journalists and observers being beaten by the police during the demonstrations provoked reactions. (AA)