In France, around one million people protested against the government’s decision to raise the retirement age of employees by two years to 64.
The French government says that more than 1.1 million citizens, including 80,000 people in Paris, participated in the protests, during which there was also a clash between the protesters and the police.
Public and private sector workers are protesting against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms, which include raising the retirement age and calling for more work.
On the other hand, in the ongoing protest in France, the protestors also carried banners in their hands, which read that their retirement age should not be increased, but salaries and pensions should be increased.
The 53-year-old social worker said about the decision to increase the retirement age by two more years that it is extremely difficult for her to continue working for two more years.
A nationwide strike over pension reforms has brought normal life to a standstill, with thousands of people taking part in the strike that has brought public transport to a standstill.
A large number of people participated in the ongoing protests in France, but this demonstration was even bigger than the previous rally against the 2019 pension reforms.
CGT union leader Philippian Martinez said that more than two million people participated in the protests.
It is common in France for police and union estimates of the number of protests to differ widely, but political analysts said the demonstration was a success for the union.
During the protest in Paris, when the protesters threw shells, the police responded by shelling tear gas. According to the police, around 30 protesters have been arrested.
The government says the pension reform ensures that the system does not become disorganized, according to the Ministry of Labor, reducing the retirement age by two years and extending the salary period will add an additional 17.7 billion euros (19 billion) in annual pension aid. 10 crores) will be burdened.
The union says there are several ways to keep the pension system afloat, such as taxing the wealthy.
Laurent Berger, leader of the CFDT, France’s largest union, says the problem can be solved through taxation in different ways, and that workers should not have to pay for public sector deficits.
Due to intense protests in Paris, metro stations were closed and traffic will be severely affected while several trains were suspended.
The restaurant worker, who was unable to go to work due to the suspension of trains, said that since he was not part of the ongoing protests in France, he supported the protests.
“It’s always the people who protest and strike and we have to bear it,” a real estate worker on the side of the road looking for the metro told Reuters.
