Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets this afternoon in Paris to rally against pension reform, led by representatives of France’s largest trade unions, and demonstrations also took place in other major cities of the country. France.

In Paris, the march began at 2:15 pm (3:15 pm Greek time) with the heads of trade unions (CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, Unsa, Solidaires, FSU) gathered under the slogan “Reform”. pensions: more working hours, the answer is no, which also took place on 19 January.

About 40,000 people took part in Marseille, France’s second largest city, compared with 26,000 on January 19, according to police.

In Nantes, the demonstration drew about 28,000 people, according to the police, and 65,000 people, according to trade unions, more than those who took part in the January 19 demonstration in the district of the Dukes of Brittany of the city.

All trade union leaders expressed their satisfaction with the turnout, which was higher than on the first day. mobilizationwhich was attended by 1.12 million people, according to the authorities, at least two million, according to the organizers (between 80,000 and 400,000 in the capital).

“There are even more people than last time,” said Laurent Berger (CFDT) and Philippe Martinez (CGT) – more than on the 19th, according to all the information we have.

“It’s a hammer blow“against raising the retirement age from 62 to 64,” said Frédéric Souillot (FO), predicting “that the pace of mobilization will accelerate.”

The determination is evident in the banners: “We won’t back down” – which also surfaced in criticism of the anti-women measure – “22% less pay and it looks like we’re crying over nothing.”

“This is reassuring, it means that the movement is taking root,” said François Omeril (CFE-CGC), while Pascal Cotton (CFTC) stated that “the explanations we have given regarding this unfair reform have been heard.”

Many left-wing politicians also took part in the demonstrations, including communist Fabien Roussel, members of Defiant France (the radical left – the official opposition), François Roufan and Clementin Autin, socialists Olivier Faure and Anne Hidalgo, or environmentalists Yannick Zado. , Marine Todelier and Sandrine Rousseau.

For their part, French trade union representatives say they are pleased with today’s general strike, the second after the one that took place on 19 January.

hit, whose request was to withdraw the draft law on reforming the pension system and raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years which, more or less today, was especially felt in the sectors of transport, education and in general in the public sector, while the participation of workers in large private enterprises was of great importance.

There were also mass and numerous meetings of strikers throughout France. As announced, rallies against the pension reform were held in 250 French cities, and in Paris, according to the CGT trade union, about 500,000 people took part.

Source: RES-IPE