Protests and strikes again engulf France.
Yesterday, the negotiations of union representatives in the prime minister’s office to resolve the disputes over the pension reform plan were unsuccessful, and the unions have once again called for protests and strikes in different sectors.
According to the report of Tasnim International News Agency, Germany’s “Tagschau” newspaper wrote in an article: The pension reform plan in France continues to make the atmosphere of this country tense. New protests are imminent. The government is stubbornly sticking to its plans and the trade unions are more united in their opposition.
On the 11th day of today’s protest and action against the pension reforms, the unions are hoping for the enthusiastic presence of the protesters. Laurent Berger, head of the moderate trade union CFDT, says: I want as many workers and citizens as possible to come to the streets across the country. That’s the point. We must show the power of democracy. Peaceful and non-violent, but people must take to the streets.
Berger made this request after yesterday’s meeting between French Prime Minister Elisabeth Bourne and various labor unions. Berger and his colleagues considered this conversation a real failure. Berger said: We presented all our views in these negotiations and one after another we asked the prime minister whether he would withdraw his law or not. The answer was negative.
After that – according to the participants – the representatives of the employees got up and left the hall. Sophie Binet, the new head of the far-left CGT trade union, also left the hall.
The various trade union representatives seemed to have reached an agreement, and Sophie Binet reported to the Prime Minister’s Office shortly after the meeting: “We are faced with a radical, lax and unrealistic government.”
According to him, the attitude of the government is a slap in the face of millions of French who are protesting against increasing the retirement age, increasing the number of years of financial assistance and canceling certain regulations. Bineh said that the government’s strategy to maintain power is cruel and irresponsible.
