This is the only point where they currently match. macron government and united front French alliances: present day will be the most important in the protracted confrontation caused by the government’s plan to reform the social 62-64 years retirement ageat the same time, the minimum limit of insurance premiums for full retirement is increased to 43 years.

For the sixth consecutive day of strike since January 19, all eight major trade union confederations, as well as five youth unions, are calling for strikes and demonstrations aimed at “locking France” and forcing the government to rethink its position. The country went on strike last night when truck drivers implemented a “snail plan” to shut off the central arteries of the national road network.

“Strikes will have a very serious impact,” Transport Minister Clement Bonne warned in a TV interview, while Labor Minister Olivier Disop said that “dissent is legal, but it should not lead to a blockade of the country, because something like that would be dangerous for economy”. The government is encouraging businesses to work remotely where possible, as many workers will have severe travel problems.

The greatest impact of the new wave of strikes is expected in transportation and transport, nuclear power plants, oil refineries, schools and universities. In addition, the most militant union confederation, the left-wing CGT, has announced strikes to date at the factories of car manufacturers Renault, Peugeot and Citroen, aircraft manufacturer Airbus and in ports.

Unions want to “lock down the country” while the Senate is expected to vote on the bill within a week.

Several unions are discussing the possibility of extending the strikes for another period of time, which means that the strike line will not be relaxed tonight. The more moderate CFDT confederation also remains firm in its united strike front, with its general secretary Laurent Berger calling on citizens for “very strong strike action”, predicting that two million French people will go on strike in some 250 cities.

The Macron government failed to get the controversial bill passed by the National Assembly because it did not get the required majority and was forced to resort to Article 47.1 of the Constitution, which allows it to move bills without being put to a vote. . However, he hopes the bill will get a green light from the Senate, possibly before the end of this week, thanks to positive votes from the centre-right Republican Party.

The pension scandal has caused political exhaustion in the Macron government as the social majority still rejects the reform despite the disruptions caused by successive strikes. According to the latest BFMTV poll, 64% of French people support the strike, while 57% are in favor of a permanent general strike.