Amid expectations of a million-man demonstration, trade unions in France are preparing to celebrate “Labour Day” today (Monday), to continue their protest against the pension reform approved by President Emmanuel Macron. And the Secretary-General of the French Democratic Union of Labor, Laurent Berger, suggested that hundreds of thousands of demonstrators would descend, estimating the number at one million or one and a half million people. He stated that the unions had prepared 300 gathering points across the country to commemorate the first of May, but the French authorities expected between 500 and 650 thousand demonstrators, including 80 to 100 thousand in Paris.
It is expected that the movements will greatly affect air traffic, as 25% and 33% of flights were canceled in the country’s largest airports, amid speculation that the movement disturbance at Paris-Orly airport will continue until tomorrow (Tuesday).
The last time France’s eight major unions took joint action was in 2009 in the face of the global financial crisis. The General Labor Union estimated the number of participants at one million and 200 thousand people, while the police estimates were limited to 456 thousand.
In 2002, the unions took to the streets in the face of the far-right leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who reached the second round of the presidential elections, and the number of participants in those movements ranged between 900 thousand and one million and 300 thousand people.
The central demonstration will start in Paris at 14:00 local time from La Republique square towards La Nation square, with the announced participation of trade unionists from around the world. The authorities expect between 1,500 and 3,000 “yellow vests” to participate, in addition to between 1,000 and 2,000 “dangerous” people, according to police sources. The authorities confirmed that 12,000 police and gendarmerie would be deployed to ensure security, including 5,000 in Paris alone.
Labor Day this year will be the thirteenth day of comprehensive national movements against reforming the controversial retirement system, which met with widespread opposition from different segments of French society, and was met with protests, which were fueled by Macron’s decision in mid-April to pass the amendment under a constitutional mechanism without putting it to a vote in the National Assembly. Not having a majority supporting him.
Opinion polls revealed a significant decline in Macron’s popularity, but French government sources seem willing to be convinced that the peak of the anti-reform movements is behind her, and that the May 1 demonstrations may mark the beginning of turning this page.
