breathe for a moment, Emmanuel Macron. This Tuesday marks the third general strike in less than three weeks in France. The pension reform would raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64, with 42 or 43 years of contributions needed for a full pension. After massive demonstrations on January 19 and 31, and last week’s turnout reaching about 1.27 million protesters according to police, unions are pressing the centrist government to drop the unpopular measure, which began debate in the National Assembly on Monday.
Yet preliminary data on strikers and protesters suggests that protests in the neighboring country have not drawn as large crowds as in prior weeks. Inflation makes a day’s wage a heavier sacrifice, yet union leaders insist the drop in participation is temporary. They are preparing another day of action for Saturday, aiming to mobilize a broad segment of private sector workers as well.
Fewer follow-ups than previous strikes
As with the first two mobilizations, rail networks bore the brunt of disruption. More than 50% of high-speed TGV services and over 70% of regional trains were canceled. In Paris, only two of the city’s sixteen metro lines were operating normally. Around 20 percent of flights at Paris Orly Airport faced cancellations.
The FSU-SNUipp union, the primary body representing elementary education, reported that about half of teachers planned to strike. The Education Ministry indicated that 14.6% of primary and 13.75% of secondary school teachers participated, roughly 10% below last week’s figures.
Industrial workers at TotalEnergies left a third of gas stations without fuel, signaling ongoing protest in the energy sector. They would not be at work on Tuesday and Wednesday. EDF announced strikes from Monday through Wednesday, with electricity generation dipping as four nuclear reactors were taken offline. The government stated that this did not cause power outages, but the disruption highlighted vulnerabilities in the system.
“Common points with the yellow vests”
Like the strikes on the 19th and 31st, attention centers on the public displays and demonstrations. The unions organized around 200 protests across France, with strong turnouts in smaller and mid-sized towns where workers and the lower middle class predominate, more so than in major cities such as Paris, Lyon, or Bordeaux.
There is a clear sense that a significant portion of French society feels threatened by pension reform. Political analysts noted similarities between the current protests and the yellow-vest movement in terms of popular anger. Unlike some recent sectoral actions, workers from diverse private-sector industries are participating, reflecting a broader cross-section of French labor interests.
Despite substantial pressure, Macron continues to oppose withdrawing the reform. A recent Ifop poll showed 69% opposition to the plan. The reform, which would require 43 years of contributions to qualify for a full pension, was scheduled to be examined by Parliament on Monday, stirring a tense atmosphere in the Assembly chamber.
Budget Minister Gabriel Attal stated from the parliamentary rostrum that a choice must be made between reform and the risk of bankruptcy. Government projections warn that failure to pass the reform could leave the pension system with a deficit of around €13 billion by 2030, equating to about 3% of total pension expenditures. The public reception to these arguments has been tepid at best. In the view of Macron supporters, the ongoing strikes may be countered by the February school holidays and a sustained campaign to keep the reform on the agenda as a strategic battle in the social standoff.