France’s pension protests and the future of work

President Macron faces off towards unions, as greater than 1,000,000 protesters take to the streets.

A demonstrator holds a speaker throughout a rally, known as by left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) celebration and Youth organizations, towards the French authorities's pension reform plan in Paris, France, January 21, 2023 [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]

Greater than 1,000,000 folks have protested towards France’s controversial pension reform plan, which was formally introduced on Monday. The vast majority of folks – together with all of France’s largest unions – oppose the reforms, which might increase the retirement age and the brink of years labored to get a full pension. President Emmanuel Macron says the reforms are important to erase deficits within the system by 2030, however regardless that the will increase are slight, many protesters see it as a standoff over the way forward for work. With extra demonstrations deliberate, is Macron risking civil unrest to get his plan by means of?

On this episode: 

• Bernard Smith (@JazeeraBernard), Al Jazeera correspondent
• Axel Persson, Common secretary, CGT Railway Employees Union, Trappes

Episode credit:

This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra with Negin Owliaei and our host, Halla Mohieddeen. Chloe Ok. Li, Alexandra Locke and Ney Alvarez fact-checked this episode.

Our manufacturing workforce contains Chloe Ok. Li, Miranda Lin, Ashish Malhotra, Negin Owliaei, and Amy Walters. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s govt producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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