Battlelines drawn as fight over French pension reform gathers pace

The French government is pressing ahead with its unpopular pensions reform despite huge strikes and protests that paralysed much of the country on Thursday, bringing more than a million people onto the streets. The government says its changes to retirement rules are critical, but unions argue low-income earners will be disproportionately hurt by a reform that is "grossly unfair".

Anti-reform protesters in the southern French city of Nice on Thursday. REUTERS - ERIC GAILLARD

The Interior Ministry put the number of protesters marching against President Emmanuel Macron's pensions project at 1.2 million, including 80,000 in Paris. 

The hard-left CGT union said there had been more than two million people at protests across France, and 400,000 in the capital alone.

Strikes disrupted public transport, schools and much of the civil service – with another day of action planned for January 31.

The pensions plan, officially presented last week, would raise the retirement age for most workers from 62, one of the lowest in the EU, to 64 by the year 2030. 

It would also increase the number of years of contributions required for a full pension.

Macron, speaking at the Franco-Spanish summit in Barcelona, defended what he called a "fair and responsible reform".

United front against 'unjust' reform

The strikes disrupted public transport in Paris, closing one metro line and forcing others to run reduced services. Large numbers of trains were cancelled across France.

Many parents were forced to look after their children, as around 40 percent of primary school teachers and more than 30 percent in the secondary system walked out, according to official estimates.

Unions put the strike participation much higher, at 70 and 65 percent, respectively.

Strikers at state-owned energy provider EDF said they had lowered electricity output by 7,000 megawatts, while grid operator RTE put the figure at 5,000 MW, enough to power two cities the size of Paris.

Trade union chief Philippe Martinez told broadcaster Public Senat on Thursday that the pension reform "bundles together everyone's dissatisfaction" with the government. "We all agree that the reform is unjust."

Opinion polls show that around two-thirds of French people oppose raising the retirement age, a move that comes against a background of high inflation and with the country still recovering from the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Delicate balance of power

Centrist newspaper Le Monde says the massive turnout gives the trade unions extra leverage in their struggle to resist a reform which Macron has made the keystone of his second term as president.

Left-leaning Libération says the government is now marching in a minefield, but shows no sign of changing direction.

Right-wing Le Figaro concedes the first-round victory to the unions, but warns that they have few strategy options and risk seeing their unity and determination tested by the later stages of the planned protests.

The next national protest is due to last 48 hours, with the first protest in February scheduled to continue over three days.

Strike days are days without pay. And stoppages of several days will have a major impact in the energy and petrol distribution sectors, perhaps leading to unpopular power cuts and petrol shortages.

The government can continue to hope for some support from right wing Republicans in a parliamentary vote.

There is also the option of once again using the 49.3 constitutional clause to force the changes through parliament without a vote.