Thousands marched on May Day across France, demanding a pay rise and Macron abandoning his retirement plan. Most were peaceful, but violence erupted in the capital, where police arrested 45 people, including a woman who attacked a firefighter trying to put out a fire, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told a news conference. Eight police officers were injured, Darmanin added. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Clashes with police broke out at the start of the march near Piazza La Republique and when he arrived at Piazza La Nation in eastern Paris. Black Bloc anarchists looted a McDonald’s restaurant on Place Leon Blum and littered several real estate agencies, smashing their windows and setting fire to rubbish bins. Police responded with tear gas. About 250 rallies were organized in Paris and other cities, such as Lille, Nantes, Toulouse and Marseille. In the capital, trade unions were joined by politicians – mainly from the left – and climate activists. In all, more than 20,000 people attended, up from 17,000 last year, the interior minister said. The cost of living has been a major issue in the presidential campaign and looks set to be just as important in the run-up to the June parliamentary elections that Macron’s party and its allies must win if it is to be able to pursue its pro-business policies, including of increasing retirement age up to 65 for 62 “It’s important to show Macron and the whole political world that we are ready to stand up for our social rights,” said Joshua Antones, a 19-year-old student. He also accused the president of “inaction” on environmental issues. French riot police blame CRS during clashes as part of the traditional May Day trade union march in Paris, France, May 1, 2022. REUTERS / Sarah Meyssonnier read more Protesters held banners reading “Retirement before arthritis”, “Retirement at 60, frozen prices” and “Macron, leave” “The government must tackle the problem of purchasing power by raising wages,” Philippe Martinez, head of the hardline CGT union, told Reuters before the rallies. read more Macron won a new five-year presidency after defeating far-right challenger Marin Le Pen in the second round last Sunday. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melanson, who came third in the first round of the presidential election, attended the march in Paris. He wants to unite a union of the left, including the Greens, to dominate parliament and force Macron into an awkward “cohabitation”, but so far this has not been achieved. read more “We will not make a single concession on pensions,” Melanson said before the march began. He said he still hoped an agreement could be reached on building a new union of the left by Sunday night. Unlike in previous years, Marin Le Pen did not lay a wreath at the statue of Joan or Arc in Paris, which her party uses as a nationalist symbol. He was replaced by the interim president of the Rassemblement National, Jordan Bardella, who said that Le Pen was preparing for the parliamentary elections. Le Pen urged voters to elect as many MPs as possible from her party in June so she could “protect your purchasing power” and prevent Macron from doing a “job that is detrimental to France and the French people” ». Parliamentary elections will be held on June 12 and 19. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Dominique Vidalon, Additional Report by Yonathan Van der Voort, Noemie Olive, Sarah Meyssonier, Caroline Pailliez; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Andrew Heavens Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
