A week filled with hurdles for Emmanuel Macron, both in the streets and inside the National Assembly. The battle over pension reforms has moved into a pivotal phase as the government faces a revived trade union front. After mass demonstrations on January 19 and 31, unions organized their third general strike in under three weeks. They aim to keep pressure on the government over raising the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64, a change that would require 43 years of contributions to secure a full pension. The debate began in Parliament the day after the measure was introduced in the National Assembly.
As with the prior actions, rail travelers faced disruption. More than half of high speed trains and about a third of regional trains were cancelled or heavily delayed. In Paris, only two of the city’s sixteen metro lines were operating normally. About 20 percent of flights from Orly Airport were cancelled as a precaution.
The FSU SNUipp association, a leading group representing primary school teachers, signaled a potential 50 percent outage in classrooms. Workers at Total refineries, who previously caused fuel shortages in the fall, planned abstaining from work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. EDF employees announced a three-day strike, adding to the mounting pressure surrounding the reform package.
tense debate in parliament
Data point to a sustained, though perhaps waning, mobilization in sectors with strong union presence such as transport, education and energy. As with the strikes on the 19th and 31st, attention centered on the street demonstrations. Police estimated that about 1.27 million protesters participated last week, a turnout that surpassed several historic mobilizations in the country. Another mass protest had already been scheduled for the coming Saturday to maximize participation by private sector workers and public employees alike, highlighting the split between the government and a sizable portion of the French public.
Despite broad public pressure, Macron remained resistant to withdrawing the reform, which polls indicated was opposed by a majority of French voters. The controversial proposal links the pension system to a minimum of 43 years of contributions and began debate in the National Assembly on Monday. The government faced a difficult political balance as it argued the reform is necessary for long term fiscal stability, while many citizens worry about its impact on retirement security.
In parliament the weight of the executive’s agenda clashed with opposition and a fragile majority. Even after reaching a verbal understanding with some center-right deputies, the combined force of opposition lawmakers continued to threaten the government with defeat on key votes. The proposed rise in the retirement age faced resistance along with other adjustments to the pension framework, reflecting a broader tension between reform aims and grassroots sentiment across rural and urban areas alike.
To secure support, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne offered concessions. The plan allows early retirees with 43 years of contributions to start work again at 20, potentially extending eligibility to retirement at age 63. Opponents from rural constituencies and the Republican right argued that concessions do not go far enough to protect workers from the effects of the reform. With the government lacking a comfortable majority, the path to passage remained uncertain, and a decree could be used if the chamber does not deliver a majority, albeit with political consequences that could affect public perception and long term credibility.
Analysts noted the ongoing political dynamics surrounding the Labor Minister and the broader cabinet, including scrutiny over issues of governance and integrity that can influence public confidence in reform efforts. As debate continued, the government faced a charged atmosphere in the chamber and the streets, where both sides sought to shape the outcome of a reform package with far reaching implications for France’s social welfare system.