ion Reform Sparks Violent Strikes in France

ByNathanShurts,OpinionEditor

AfterweeksofstrikesinFranceoverarecentpensionreform bill set to raise the minimum retirement age, Macron’s Pension ReformBillhasbeensignedintolaw.

ThePensionReformraisestheageofretirementfrom62to64 and requires a retiree to have worked for 43 years This highly controversialreformwasdesignedtokeepthepensionprogram afloat as the population continued aging and growing, but it sparked outrage despite its good intentions. Interestingly enough, France actually has one of the lowest minimum retirement ages in the world of industrialized countries, spendingalmost14%ofitseconomicoutputontheprogram.

Thestrugglecamewithpassingthebillsincepublicopinion and unions were geared against the reform, frustrated by the concept of having to work additional years with very little benefit When Macron took the bill to the French National Assembly, he was poised to lose the vote, but he instead invokedArticle493oftheFrenchConstitution,pushingthebill through.

For years, this has worked fine and kept retirees generously compensatedfortheirlifeofhardworkanddedication,butwith rising life expectancy extending the lengths of retirement periods, the pension system quickly found itself making more paymentsthanitcouldafford.

Now, enter French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been in office since 2017. His proposed solution (the pension reform bill) was set to raise the minimum age of retirement slightly over time to make up for the rising life expectancy and budgeting issues, a long-expected idea he had expressed interest in pursuing as part of his campaign platform years earlier

The widespread strikes that followed this decision were described as a shocking display of unity, roping in workers from transport, energy, public sector workers, teachers, and even waste management personnel Polls quickly shifted againstMacron,andthereformbillbecamewidelyopposedas an affront to French Democracy As of when this article was written,thesestrikesarestillgoingstrong,andit'sdifficultto knowwhatwillcausethemtobackdown.

When AP European History teacher Heather Pollak was asked what constitutes a successful strike, she described it as “apeacefulone,whereyou peacefully achieve the aimsandgoalsyousought outatthebeginning” Neithersidewillbackdownbecausethe government believes it is promoting the people’s best interests In contrast, the people believe there is a better solutiontotheissue,liketaxingwealthiercitizensmore.

"We're not reforming pensions to be popular but to be responsible. We'll go all the way because it's the only way our social model will survive."

Regardless of which side is right, the violence involved with the protests has been somewhat frightening. In the city of Bordeaux, the entrance to city hall was set on fire while clashing with police. Elsewhere, protestors launched smoke bombsanddamagedproperty,burningfiresthroughthenight amid the national strike Police responded using dangerous force, utilizing tear gas and water cannons to forcefully disperse the protestors, with over 12,000 police mobilized preemptivelyandevenmoreoncethefightingstarted.

The effects of the strike were far-reaching and impressive, impacting 30% of flights at the Paris Orly airport, blockading majoroilrefineries,andevendisruptingschools.Over119,000 peoplemarchedinParisonthisday,themostpeacefulofthe events according to CNN Despite the massive, widespread disruption caused by the protests and the people united behindthem,thepensionreformbillstillwaspassedintolaw andwillcomeintoeffectbythestartofSeptember.

Looking back at France’s long history of revolts and changingleadership,thisstrikeisreallyratherinsignificantin thegrandschemeofthings.InHeatherPollak’swords,“The french love a good revolt, I can’t tell you how many times they overthrew their government, put in someone who was worse, and then went back to the monarch changing the pensionbytwoyearsinFrenchhistoryisnottheworstcrime that has been committed against the French people”. Despite the relative insignificance of the matter at hand, it definitelyshowsthatpeoplearefrustratedwithMacron’suse oftheConstitutiontobendthelawtohiswill.Italsoserves as a powerful reminder to the world that democracy is a fragile balance, one that Macron believes has been maintainedbyservingthebestinterestsofthepeople,even ifitmeansgoingagainstpopularity Thecomingmonthswill implementthepolicy,andonlytimewilltellhowFrancewill proceedinthisprecariouspredicament.