in Paris, protesters against pension reform castigate the attitude of the executive

So far, they had not, or little, beaten the pavement to show their opposition to the pension reform. But Thursday, March 23, in Paris, during the ninth day of mobilization, they responded present. For several demonstrators, the use of article 49.3, a week earlier, by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to pass the pension reform in the National Assembly, then the remarks of Emmanuel Macron made on Wednesday March 22 on France 2 and TF1, were a trigger. With other participants, more accustomed to demonstrations, but also “angry” after the events of the past few days, they tell franceinfo why they now want to take part in a protest that is not running out of steam.

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Olivia and Sacha, 16: “We’ve been against it from the start”

A cardboard sign displaying “angry youth” placed prominently in front of them, Sacha and Olivia took part in the procession for the first time in the mobilization against the pension reform. “We have been against this text from the start, but during the previous days of action, we had classes, it was a bit complicated to free ourselves”, explain these two high school girls, who came from the Parisian suburbs. But this Thursday, they have “make the effort to come”motivated by “the big demonstration announced”to express their opposition to the use of 49.3 by the government.

“The government wants to force through, it’s unfair. Things shouldn’t happen like that in a democracy.”

Sacha, 16, high school student

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“If the government does not listen to the opinion of the citizens, the demonstrations will continue”, respects his comrade. If retirement does not concern them “not immediately”the two high school girls claim to want “fighting for the rights of others” and have a thought “for workers who do difficult jobs, who deserve better than not enjoying their retirement in good health”.

Robin, 20: “I came because Macron provoked us”

“If I count all my years of apprenticeship, I have been working since I was 16”, explains Robin, landscaper “in private”. “It’s a tough job., he describes, we work under the wind, the rain, sometimes the heat wave…”

“I’m 20 and I already have back pain. So at over 60, I can’t even imagine.”

Robin, landscaper

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He too manifests for the first time. Before, he followed the mobilizations without taking part in them. “The trigger was Macron’s interview”he explains about the interview with the president broadcast on France 2 and TF1. “His words are a provocation”he argues, castigating a head of state “deaf” in the face of controversy. “So today, I decided to come and demonstrate, because he provoked us”continues the young man. “If I don’t fight for my retirement now, I won’t have the right to complain later.”

Marthe, 17, and Vladimir, 53: “This forced passage poses a problem”

“Until now, I had never done that, but now, I admit it, I skipped class to come and demonstrate”, smiles Marthe, 17 years old. This high school student came with her father, Vladimir, a director. The latter took to the streets for the first time “last week”. “Irresponsible Father”he says laughing, he supports his daughter’s approach.

“Why are we pounding the pavement? Because the tools of institutional opposition don’t work.”

Vladimir, 53, director

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His daughter Marthe approves: “This forced passage, via 49.3, poses a democratic problem.” “It is an additional motivation to mobilize us”completes Vladimir, particularly “angry” against the comparison made by Emmanuel Macron between part of the demonstrators and the supporters of Donald Trump who stormed the Capitol in the United States. “Comparing ourselves to those who did this is irresponsibility”he castigates, against a president “cynical and contemptuous”. He would like the Head of State to show respect for “what is said, not by ‘the crowd’, as he declared, but by people, individuals”.

Josselin, 25: “The 49.3 made me even more angry”

“Personally, I did not listen to Emmanuel Macron’s interview, but 49.3 gave me one more reason to come and demonstrate”, says Josselin. Until then, this history teacher had not taken to the streets. This is his first manifestation “since the beginning of the mobilization against this reform”he confides. “But I will have come regardless of 49.3”specifies the young professor, explaining not having demonstrated before because of his preparation for the aggregation, which took him “much of the time” This year. “But even if it didn’t really surprise me, as it is an institutional tool available to the government, which has already used it several times, 49.3 made me even more angry”, he points out.

Laurent, 57, and Virginie, 50: “The movement goes beyond pensions”

Met in the front rows of the procession, Laurent and Christine are not on their first day of mobilization. This ninth manifestation is however “particularly important to them”.

“Now is the time not to let go to obtain the withdrawal of the reform.”

Laurent, 57, engineer

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He doesn’t have “didn’t even want to listen to Macron” while she was “struck” by “the speech of denial” of the head of state. “His words made me very angry”explains this teacher, denouncing “a contemptuous vocabulary, as when he spoke of ‘smicards'”. “There, the movement goes beyond the retreats. There is an institutional crisis, a real issue of democracy”she judges.

Christophe, 55: “Emmanuel Macron will unite us against him”

From Emmanuel Macron’s interview, Christophe was waiting “a positive message, of social progress”. He was disappointed. “Finally, what he said was ‘fuck you'”deplores this union representative of the CFDT.

“We have the feeling of being taken for fools.”

Christophe, 55, union representative at the CFDT

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“We, at the CFDT, are rather reformists, he continues, and we are willing to discuss pensions, but after the withdrawal of the reform, on new bases.” For him, he is not “unheard” that Emmanuel Macron “does not take into account the claims” After “so many events that went very well”. “He makes a mistakeconcludes the trade unionist. He will not divide us, but, on the contrary, unite us against him.”