French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to appease peace in his country, which is currently gripped by a massive wave of protests, with a television appearance on Wednesday. The 45-year-old head of state emphasized why the pension reform is so important to the general public. Macron also stressed that most other European countries have a higher starting age.
As reported, the reform provides, among other things, for an increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. Macron had resorted to the much-criticized Article 49.3 of the constitution to enforce the reform law. This allows a law to be passed without a final parliamentary vote if the government survives a subsequent vote of no confidence. On Monday, the government narrowly escaped being overthrown in such a vote.
Macron now wants to implement the controversial reform “by the end of the year”. “We are still waiting for the judgment of the Constitutional Council,” Macron said in the TV interview on Wednesday. He respects protests against the law, but condemns acts of violence and blockades, the president said. “We haven’t been able to convince them of the need,” he admitted. However, he will continue to defend the pension reform because it is “in the public interest”.
The protests in the streets of France are now becoming increasingly radical. The port of Marseille, one of the most important in the country, was completely blocked on Wednesday. The port of Brest in Brittany and the important Saint-Nazaire bridge on the west coast were also blocked by protesters. In addition, several fuel depots remained closed.
Human rights activists concerned about riots
On Wednesday evening, an initially peaceful demonstration against the law took place in Paris. Riots broke out again later. Several hundred demonstrators clashed with security forces, who used tear gas, in the Place de la République. According to police circles, 128 people have been taken into custody across the country, 81 of them in Paris. More than 60 members of the emergency services were injured.
France’s Human Rights League is concerned about repeated riots: “We are in a particularly worrying situation for democracy and in the face of police brutality that can only exacerbate the situation.”
Source: Krone
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