PARIS (AP) — France was preparing for its fifth day of nationwide protests and strikes on Thursday against a pension reform that is the flagship measure of President Emmanuel Macron’s second term.
This new series of actions was to cause fewer problems than the previous ones, since the Paris metro was operating normally and most schools were not affected.
On the other hand, a strike by the railway workers would affect the TGVs and the regional lines. Nearly a third of flights were due to be canceled at Paris’ second airport, Orly, with traffic also disrupted at regional airports.
The pension reform proposal has sparked the most bitter debate in years in the National Assembly, and the process has been shrouded in uncertainty.
Tensions in parliament have been fueled by the unpopularity of a reform that would raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64, and require people to have worked at least 43 years to qualify for a low-income pension. full, among other measures.
The influential CGT union also had its sights set on March 7, when the unions will call for a general strike to paralyze France. The group hopes to rally support from garbage collectors, which could lead to litter piling up on French streets.