“There will be a battle over pensions, that’s clear – the battle has been declared,” said the left-wing CGT union in Toulouse. Trade unionists, environmentalists and left-wing parties – as well as anti-government protesters in yellow vests – marched in cities across France, demanding an increase in pensions and salaries and the end of the Macron plan to gradually raise the retirement age to 65. The government said 45 arrests had been made on the sidelines of the peaceful march in Paris after a small group of people dressed in black, described as “Black Bloc” anarchists, smashed business windows, including a McDonald’s, and attacked cash. distributors while lighting the bins. Police fired tear gas and a woman was arrested for attacking a firefighter after extinguishing the fire. Eight police officers were injured. Center-right Macron, who was re-elected last weekend with 58.5% of the vote against far-right Marine Le Pen, is under pressure to rule differently in his second term – with fewer top-down decisions and a more participatory stance. decentralized approach, to which citizens will have a greater contribution. “This is a very political May Day, where employees intend to take on all the big issues,” said Benoît Teste, head of the FSU teachers’ union. “It’s a critical moment to feel the mood on the ground and set the tone.” Emmanuel Macron in Hautes-Pyrenees, Barbazan-Debat in southwestern France on Friday. Photo: Isa Harsin / Sipa / Rex / Shutterstock “I want to calm things down,” Macron told locals on a walk in southwestern France on Friday, after vowing to take into account all those who voted for him, including those on the left who chose him only to keep Le Pen out. However, no details have been filtered about how Macron will consult with the people or whether he will reform France’s political system, including the introduction of proportional representation in parliament. With his second term officially set to begin on May 14, Macron is currently discussing who he will appoint as the new prime minister, who will have expanded powers to oversee French environmental policy. Some hoped it would be a woman with a background on the left. Macron has spent the last few days campaigning in crowds in the city squares to listen to voters’ concerns, sometimes for hours at a time, to refute his image as arrogant and distant and to show that he understands the current cost-living crisis, which is the number one concern of voters. This is crucial if he is to secure a broad center-majority in the June parliamentary elections that would give him free rein to implement his welfare state and pension reform policies. The vote in parliament has been taken advantage of by both the far-right Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the radical left, who are seeking to significantly increase their seats in a France where voters are divided and frustrated with politics. “What we have seen is an extremely strong rift between the base of the social pyramid – those with no wealth, power or influence – and the so-called summit,” said François Bairou, leader of the center-right MoDem party. and Macron’s key ally during the campaign. “There must be a new governmental approach, which must be constantly taken into account by the French people.” Sylvain Burquier was one of 150 randomly selected people to attend a public meeting to develop methods to reduce carbon emissions during Macron’s first term. Environmentalists have criticized the government for not doing enough to follow citizens’ recommendations. But Burquier said the method itself, of forming an assembly of everyday people to resolve difficult public policy issues, had proven to work and should be extended. “150 of us are convinced that new forms of participatory or consultative democracy can move the issues forward,” Burquier said. “By being a middle ground – neither activists nor businesses – we shook things up… The population was behind us, we are still active today, we upset a lot of people because we were completely partisan and only the common good connects us, not with a political stance… It is a a new transversal way of doing things that upsets the status quo and when that happens, things move on. “ Macron has promised that his second term will be dedicated to tackling the climate emergency, as he acknowledged that environmental policy needs to be accelerated. However, a poll by Elabe following Macron’s presidential victory on April 24 showed that 57% of people did not believe that the environment would make it a top priority. A key policy task in the short term is to address the cost of living crisis. Macron is expected to renew energy spending ceilings and consider further anti-inflation payments to low-income households this summer. Eventually, Macron promised to lead France to complete unemployment. Unemployment fell to its lowest level in 13 years during Macron’s first term and its economy – the seventh largest in the world – outperformed other major European countries and the wider eurozone. But as inflation in France reached a new high of 5.4% in April, while growth stopped in the first quarter, May Day protesters warned that people were angry with the struggle to get by, demanding higher wages and higher wages. pensions. The protesters said Macron’s new plans to raise the retirement age could lead to a strike. During Macron’s first term, a different proposed pension review sparked protests that lasted longer than any strike by wildcat workers in 1968, and reform stalled during the pandemic. “If necessary, we will strike,” Force Ouvrière, the union’s secretary general, told BFMTV at a rally in Paris. “Let this be heard. We have our reasons. It is not just a pure obstruction, but it is based on an economic and social argument. “
