France braces for massive strike in pension reform showdown

French trade unions are preparing for another clash with President Emmanuel Macron over his controversial pension reform, with widespread strikes from Tuesday aiming to bring the country "to a standstill".

A protester holds a placard in the shape of a box of cigarettes with a slogan reading "getting older kills" during a march against an overhaul of the pensions system in Paris on February 16, 2023. AFP - EMMANUEL DUNAND

On the back of five separate days of protests so far, this week's stoppages herald a new phase in the battle between the centrist government and opponents of the changes.

"We always said that we would go into a higher gear if necessary," the head of the influential hard-left CGT union, Philippe Martinez, told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday. "That will be the case on Tuesday."

More than 260 demonstrations are expected nationwide, many in small and medium-sized towns where opposition to the reform is strong. Strikes will affect transport, the energy sector and public services.

Strong turnout expected

Police are expecting as many as 1.5 million people to hit the streets.

If that estimate turns out to be true, Tuesday could be the biggest day of protest in decades, beating the 1.27 million who took part in demonstrations on 31 January, and exceeding previous pension reform protests in 2010.

Demonstrators march against pension reform in Lyon, central France. © AP - Laurent Cipriani

All eight major French trade unions have called for the stoppages to bring the country to a halt, with shopkeepers also encouraged to down shutters.

More than 60 percent of primary school teachers will down tools – the highest rate since the current wave of strikes began.

Meanwhile unions representing workers on the national SNCF railways, the Paris metro and the energy sector, including oil refineries, have called for rolling strikes for the first time, with other industries also joining in.

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An Elabe survey published Monday for BFMTV found that a majority of French people supported the strike.

A total of 56 percent were in favour of a "renewable strike from 7 March and in the days that followed", while 59 percent agreed with the unions' goal of bringing the country "to a standstill".

Tuesday "is going to be very difficult," Transport Minister Clement Beaune admitted, calling on workers to stay home where possible.

The industrial action comes as senators debating the pension reform bill voted against the advice of the government to create an "end-of-career" work contract to encourage employers to recruit people aged 60 and over.