French Unions Call for New Strikes Over Pension Reforms

According to the main French trade unions, more than 2.5 million people joined the demonstrations on Tuesday. Jan. 31, 2023.

Published 31 January 2023

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The controversial reform would progressively raise the legal retirement age by three months yearly, from 62 to 64 by 2030.

This Tuesday, after a new day of protests, French unions called two more days of strike action on February 7 and 11 against the pension reform pushed by the government of President Emmanuel Macron.

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According to the main French trade unions, more than 2.5 million people joined the demonstrations today. For its part, the French Ministry of the Interior said that more than 1.27 million people took to the streets throughout the country.

On Tuesday evening, France's largest union, the CGT, announced its intention to continue strikes at refineries on February 6, 7 and 8, which could lead to production stoppages at some sites, said Eric Sellini, coordinator of TotalEnergies.

On the second day of general mobilization, clashes broke out between some protesters and police in Paris, and tear gas and smoke bombs were fired, according to reports. Police confirmed the arrest of 23 people in the French capital.

La réforme des retraites suscite des interrogations et des doutes. Nous les entendons. Le débat parlementaire s’ouvre. Il permettra, dans la transparence, d’enrichir notre projet avec un cap : assurer l’avenir de notre système par répartition.
C’est notre responsabilité !
— Élisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) January 31, 2023

The pension reform raises questions and doubts. We hear them. The parliamentary debate is beginning. It will allow us to enrich our project transparently, with one goal: to ensure the future of our pay-as-you-go system. This is our responsibility!

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said today via Twitter that the government has heard "the questions and doubts" raised by the pension reform. "The parliamentary debate begins. It will allow us to enrich our project transparently," said the Minister.

Last Sunday, Borne said that the progressive delay until 2030 of the increase in the retirement age as a solution to the deficit is "no longer negotiable." The government has said that minor modifications are possible.