France’s government faces another mass protests after prime minister said that the French people needed to work two years longer to get a full pension. For the eighth day in a row, the strike continues and hit the common people, Sputnik reported.
Nationwide protest action and strikes against President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reform plans almost paralyzed the transport system. Last week, PM Edouard Philippe announced the governmental decision on two years longer to work to get a full pension. The hostile response sparked immediately, France lives in the regime of strikes for the eight days in a row.
Since last Wednesday, the trade unions across France promised they would step up strike action to force an about-turn. On Monday, a meeting between Jean-Paul Delevoye, the high commissioner in charge of pension reform, and labour union leaders failed. The absence of the compromise just escalated the tensions in France. So far, there is no way to break the impasse, said the French unions. They called for people to take again to the streets to continue mass protests again pension reform.
According to the Interior Ministry, about 806,000 people took part in the anti-government demonstrations, while labour unions put the number at nearly 1.5 million. During eight days of non-stop street protests, about one hundred persons have been arrested, police had to use smoke bombs to disperse the demonstrators.
French ‘unlimited’ strike hit users in France and the EU
Strikes are disrupting the schedule of trains, buses, and TGV services while the workers from SNCF and the Parisian public transport operator RATP fight for their rights.
The only TGV train is running is Eurostar, however, the company is still currently planning to run “a reduced timetable” until December 15. According to the spokesperson, the strike action is impacting Eurostar’s ability to deliver the usual timetable. Only one in four Intercités is operation so far, the local media reported on Friday.
