What to expect from the May Day protests?
On this May 1, 2023, a symbolic day, the mobilization in France will be strong to protest against the pension reform. The demonstration starts at Place de la République and then marches to Place de la Nation.
On this day of the 1Is May is primarily a day of anti-pension reform demonstrations. So it will be the 13thth Day of general mobilization against a reform broadly endorsed by the Constitutional Council on April 14, notably raising the retirement age to 64, and promulgated in the Emmanuel Macron trial. Still pending is the referendum on the joint initiative, the second to be decided by the Constitutional Council next May 3rd.
The demonstration of 1Is The May was launched on a call from unions, including the CGT, for the pension reform to be rolled back completely.
The union shouted:
« all workers, youth and pensioners to make May 1st an exceptional and popular day of mobilization against pension reform and for social justice. »
According to intelligence estimates, the procession in Paris is expected to gather between 80,000 and 100,000 people, while demonstrations are also planned in other cities: 300 processions are expected across France. This was announced by Sophie Binet, the new general secretary of the CGT, who was invited to the set of BFMTV on April 24 and denounced the forced passage of the pension reform and other “antisocial and violent” reforms. Sophie Binet said: All unions give all French people a date for a popular and historic tidal wave on May 1st ».
Laurent Berger, Secretary General of the CFDT, called for a massive mobilization across France. On April 14th he explained on TF1 that this May Day is a ” Day of extraordinary popular mobilization against pension reform and for social justice. (…) I am calling for people to come everywhere in France and demonstrate very massively, as has been done since the beginning of January (…) Saying no to 64 years and also saying that we have to act on working conditions ».
Disruptions at airports and train stations
The Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) has asked airlines to increase their schedules by 33% at Paris-Orly, Marseille-Provence, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse airports and by 25% at Paris-CDG, Nice and Paris airports reduce Beauvais airports.
At SNCF, the railway workers’ union called for strikes and demonstrations across the country. After the action of Railroad Workers Day of Rage of April 20, the Intersyndical called for greater mobilization. Traffic forecasts will not be known until this weekend.
This day of mobilization is an opportunity for French workers and citizens to make their voices heard and defend their rights. The demonstrators call for social justice for all and judge the economic and social situation in France to be worrying. According to workers, young people and pensioners, the difficulties they face are growing and inequalities are growing.
The mobilization day of 1Is is therefore an opportunity to remind government and business leaders that workers and citizens must be taken into account when making political and economic decisions. The demonstrators hope that this mobilization will be heard and that the demands will be taken into account by the responsible authorities.
