New French Strikes Target Macron's Pension Overhaul

"PARIS -- Thousands of people went on strike and took to the streets Thursday to protest French President Emmanuel Macron's plan to raise the country's retirement age, turning up the pressure on his government as parliamentary debates over the measures intensify.

For the fifth time in four weeks, teachers, train drivers, nurses, oil-refinery staff and other workers marched in demonstrations from Paris to Marseille.

The protests are aimed at pressuring the Macron government to reverse a plan to raise the retirement age to 64 years old from 62 by 2030.

The protests have shaken support for Mr. Macron's plan in the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament. A handful of lawmakers from Mr. Macron's party, Renaissance, and its centrist allies have threatened to vote against the pension bill. Conservative party Les Republicains remains divided over the proposed measures, with some members tacking to the left of Mr. Macron and demanding more exceptions to the retirement-age increase.

Without their support, Mr. Macron, who no longer has a majority in the National Assembly, won't have the votes to pass his pension overhaul.

Far-right and left-wing parties have vowed to block the bill, saying it is unfair and unnecessary.

Opposition parties have proposed more than 20,000 amendments to the bill, which is being debated in the National Assembly until Friday.

"What do our compatriots see?" Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said at the National Assembly on Tuesday. "A held-up debate, held up by the multiplication of amendments that will make it impossible to examine the entire bill, held up by the multiplication of insults," she added.

Thursday's strikes caused fewer disruptions than other recent demonstrations. Subway traffic was close to normal in Paris and most schools remained open. Union leaders said many workers can't afford repeated strikes during the same month.

But they expect a much bigger mobilization on March 7, when they are planning a strike that could bring France to a standstill for days or even weeks.

French unions have pledged to dig in for a prolonged fight against Mr. Macron's plan, saying it would penalize people who started working at a young age.

On Saturday, nearly a million people marched in the streets in nationwide union-led demonstrations.

The proposed pension overhaul was one of the main planks of Mr. Macron's re-election campaign last year.

He has argued that it is the only way to preserve France's pension system without raising taxes or increasing the country's debt.

Polls show the French public remains firmly opposed to Mr. Macron's pension overhaul. A recent survey of 1,000 people by polling firm Elabe this week showed 67% are against the proposed measures.

Tensions are running high at the National Assembly, where debates have turned into shouting matches, with lawmakers trading insults." [1]

1.  World News: New French Strikes Target Macron's Pension Overhaul
Bisserbe, Noemie.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 17 Feb 2023: A.16.