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Why there are massive protests in France?

 This all started in 2019 when French president proposed a law to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 as France's retirement age is among the lowest in Europe. Overhauling pensions has long been a controversial issue in France, with street protests halting reform efforts in 1995, and the successive government's facing stiff resistance to changes that got eventually passed in 2004,2008 and 2010. however, union say it threatens hard-fought worker rights As France has an ageing population and growing life expectancy where everyone receives a state pension while the Macron government said, the reform is the only way to keep the system solvent.


The Pension Reform

The law stated that the minimum retirement age to be entitle to a full pension will be gradually increased by three month every year, starting from this year. Also starting from 2027, people will need to have worked for at least 43 years to get a full pension. However, there will be exception to this rule, for Police officers and Firefighters, anyone not putting in 43 years of work will have to work till age 67 in order to retire will full pension. From 2027 workers will have to make social security contributions over 43 years rather than 42 years in order to draw a full pension. Guaranteed minimum pension income of not less than 85% of the net minimum wage which is roughly €1200 per month at current levels. Public workers in jobs who have physical or mental illness will maintain the right to early retirement though their retirement age will be increased by the same number of years as the wider labour force. People who are Police officers, sewer cleanness, prison guard and air traffic controllers are among those currently able to retire at age 52 One of the highlights of this reform is that there is an increase in pensions for some. According to the latest proposal, the minimum pension for low-income workers who have a full career is likely to see  their pension rise by a minimum of €100 a month which is nearly €1200 at present currently than 2 million workers fall under this Category.


Why this reform is being criticized ?

"If there is no positive response from the government, today is a first step, and there will be second step", Philippe Martinez, the need of the CGT labour union. The trade union and left-wing parties of the country says that the proposed changes are not needed in order to fund France's pension system. Rather many have even suggested a rethinking of France's tax system and a crackdown on tan evasion instead. the reform come workers in France are being squeezed by rising food and energy bills. France spent at least 14% of its GDP on state pension in 2018, which is more than most other countries this is according to organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. Also some have pointed out the raising of retirement on career lengths will specifically affect the most vulnerable. for instance, women are set to be biggest losers with the new 43 years career requirement. The protests got sparked when the Prime


 Minister Elisabeth Borne, finally allows the government to force passage of a bill without a vote unless the parliament votes a vote DE censure motion of no confidence.

The Protests

Leaders of influential leftist CGT union have called on people to leave school, factories, refineries and other workplaces to force Macron to abandon his plan. Although the involvement of article 49:3 is a calculated risk angry protesters took over the streets in Paris on Friday. The lawmakers on the right and left filed no-confidence motions that are expected to be voted on early next week. Crowds


 gathered throughout the day Friday , halting cars along Paris ring road and blocking university campuses. Sanitation workers have extentded their 12- day strike, leaving piles of foul-smelling rubbish across the capital and blocking Europe's largest incineration site. Some 200 major protests were talking place across the country, with the largest in Paris. Thousand of protesters had gathered at the Epicenter, Paris iconic place de la Republique and they kept pouring in to show their discontentment.

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