Half of the country’s teachers participated in the strike. In Paris, only one out of three high-speed trains ran and only two driverless metro lines operated. Power generation also saw a reduction after state-owned EDF workers went on strike.
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Nationwide protests have erupted in France against President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. A strike against the plan hit transport, school and energy sectors in France on Tuesday, bringing work to a near standstill.
According to a BBC report, the eight unions participating in the strike claimed that half of the country’s teachers had joined the strike. In Paris, only one of three high-speed trains ran and only two driverless metro lines were operating normally. Shortages in power generation have also been reported after state-owned EDF workers went on strike.
The BBC quoted Christopher Weisberg, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, as saying that any reform that asked people to work longer would be unpleasant, but we were elected on the basis of this reform and reform. It is a priority of our government.
Christopher Weisberg further stated that France has a universal system that has to pay for itself. If it continues to weaken, then at some point, people will lose their pension. France has a lower retirement age, compared to 65 in Spain and 66 in the UK, according to the report. But all-round opposition to increasing the retirement age in the new scheme is raising questions on the government.
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