Tens of thousands of demonstrators began to march on Tuesday afternoon in Paris against the pension reform, led by the heads of the main French unions, with strong mobilization also in the major cities of France.
In Paris, the procession set off at 2:15 p.m. local time, led by the leaders of the inter-union (CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA, Solidaires, FSU) gathered behind the banner “Reform pensions: working longer is a no” that they were already displaying on January 19.
In Marseille, France’s second city, some 40,000 people marched, down from 26,000 on January 19, police said.
In Nantes, the demonstration gathered between 28,000 people, according to the police, and 65,000, according to the unions, more than the last mobilization of January 19 in the city of the Dukes of Brittany.
All the union leaders were pleased with the greater attendance than that of this first day of mobilization, which had brought together 1.12 million people according to the authorities, more than 2 million according to the organizers (between 80,000 and 400,000 in the capital).
“There are even more people than last time,” said Laurent Berger (CFDT), in tune with Philippe Martinez (CGT) assuring that “it’s more than the 19th, in all the feedback we have” .
“It’s a barrage” against the postponement of the legal age from 62 to 64, explained Frédéric Souillot (FO), predicting “that the pace of mobilizations will accelerate”.
A determination displayed on placards – “We will not beat a retreat” –, where criticism also returned against a measure which disadvantages women – “22% less salary and it seems that we are crying for nothing”.
“It’s encouraging, it means that the movement is taking root,” said François Hommeril (CFE-CGC), while Pascale Coton (CFTC) saw in it the proof “that the explanations we have given on this reform unfair have been heard”.
Several left-wing political figures were also present, including the communist Fabien Roussel, the members of La France insoumise (radical left opposition) François Ruffin and Clémentine Autain, the socialists Olivier Faure and Anne Hidalgo, or the ecologists Yannick Jadot, Marine Tondelier and Sandrine Rousseau.