Opponents of pension reform in France they are not deterred by its final passage in April after months of protests, and they are again calling for today’s 14th day of mobilization against the law pushing the retirement age to 64.

The 14th day of protests since the beginning of the year could be the swan song of an unprecedented mass protest movement, marked by massive strikes and demonstrations that have failed to sway the resolve of the Macron government.

The French government used every available constitutional tool, including an article allowing a bill to be passed without a vote in parliament, to push through the reform, which came into effect on April 14 after being approved by the Constitutional Court.

deep scars

The quarrel between the government and opponents of the reform left deep scars. The new day of mobilizations is taking place in a tense atmosphere, despite the fact that President Macron seeks to regain the initiative by bringing new topics to the agenda.

French unions are organizing 250 demonstrations and rallies across France, and Frédéric Souillot, general secretary of the FO, is optimistic. “There will be people on the street,” he assured this morning on the France 2 TV channel, betting on the participation of a million people, while the authorities predict the mobilization of 400-600 thousand people.

“It won’t be the biggest mobilization,” admits Celine Verzeletti, secretary of the CGT confederation. “There will be a small number of strikes,” at least in education, admits Benoit Test of the Fédération Syndicale Unitaire, an education trade union that talks about “the end of the cycle.”

Strikes were announced in the electricity and gas companies, as well as in rail and air transport.

This morning, some bus services in the city of Rennes were interrupted due to the blockade of the railway station by protesters.

About 11,000 policemen and gendarmes on foot, 4,000 in Paris. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanen said the authorities expect far-leftists from abroad to join the ranks of rioters wreaking havoc and clashing with law enforcement forces in the protests.

“We expect riots and black blocs, and we will disperse them,” said the head of the Paris police, Laurent Nunez.

“Last fight”

Mobilization Day is held two days before parliament debates on a proposed law aimed at repealing the reform that has little chance of being passed.

A parliamentary committee removed a key article from the proposed law regarding the retirement age limit of the reform, and while amendments were made to restore the article and content of the proposed law, French National Assembly speaker Yael Braun-Pivé warned that he would declare them unacceptable, citing a constitutional provision. prohibiting MPs from making amendments that reduce public resources or increase public spending.

“It will be a clear scandal with democracy,” warned CGT General Secretary Sophie Binet.

CFDT general secretary Laurent Bergé, for his part, denounced the “democratic shortcoming”, recalling that the reform was never put to a vote. However, he appears to have acknowledged the defeat of the French trade unions, stating that “of course (…) the text will be implemented when the time is right”.

CFTC Chairman Cyril Champagnier said in mid-March that June 8 was likely to be the “last battle”.

The French government is trying to turn the page, and already on Sunday, the Government Gazette published the first two circulars on the implementation of the pension system reform and, in particular, on the gradual increase in the age limit.

France is one of the European countries with the lowest retirement age, although national systems differ.

^{Source: APE-MEB, AFP.}