France faces his umpteenth day of strikes partial against the pension reformapproved Thursday by decree by the Government of Emmanuel Macronin the midst of growing social unrest reflected in the second night of riots in several cities of the country.
Although of lesser importance, large French cities registered spontaneous protests on Friday night, which in Paris resulted in at least 60 arrests in an act in the Plaza de la Concordia.
In lyonsthe clashes with the police were particularly tense and the demonstrators tried to invade the headquarters of a district council.
As happened the previous day, thousands of people, many of them young people, expressed their discontent with the measure in the symbolic Parisian Place de la Concorde, without the umbrella of a party or union organization. In addition to the 60 arrests, five policemen were injured.
In the midst of the mobilization in La Concordia, a huge bonfire was litin which they burned cardboard effigies of Macron, whom they accuse of “turn your back” on democracy for approving the reform thanks to article 49.3 of the Constitutionwhich allows for certain bills to bypass the parliamentary vote.
The protest ended with the intervention of riot police, who surrounded the entire emblematic square with troops.
Other cities like Toulouse, Bordeaux and Strasbourg They also registered demonstrations.
On Thursday night, the tension was greater, since the security forces detained hundreds of protesters, a good part in Paris, and they had to face the burning of cars, street furniture and the erection of barricades.
We are sorry for this announcement. [del gobierno] like an insult. They haven’t heard from us for weeks. This generated a lot of anger, ”he told the news agency AFP Philippe Melaine, a high school teacher in Rennes (west), where more than 2,000 people They demonstrated on Friday.
The discontent of the street, which is being organized outside unions and parties, has also moved to the Parliamentwhere this Monday they will debate two motions of no confidence to overthrow the Executiveon the verge of a political crisis not seen since the outbreak of the revolt of the “Yellow Vests” in 2018.
The reform that raises the minimum retirement age in France from 62 to 64 years keeps the unions on a war footing, with some entrenched strikes, such as the one for garbage collection in Paris, where thousands of tons of waste are still strewn on the sidewalks despite the fact that the French government has imposed a return to work on certain cleaners.
This Saturday is also expected a disturbance of the movement of high-speed trains (4 out of 5 will work), the regional TER (3 out of 5) and Intercities (3 out of 5).
Air traffic should not register cancellations or delays due to the strike, although they are expected for Monday, March 20, whene 30% of flights will be canceled at the Parisian airport of Orly and a 20% in Marseille (south).
In the energy sector, at least four major refineries will be closed -without the possible impact on fuel supply being known yet-.
In addition, four gas transport terminals are still under picket lines -which, however, allow the import of liquefied gas-, as well as eleven Storengy gas tanks, a subsidiary of Engie.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
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Source-www.infobae.com