Bet won for the unions.
Depending on whether the figures come from the Ministry of the Interior or the CGT, one to two million French people would have taken to the streets, Thursday, January 19, to protest against the pension reform.
In addition to the demonstrations, the protest resulted in strikes in transport, schools, and the public service.
A mobilization that 70% of French people qualify as "
success
", as revealed by our Odoxa-Backbone Consulting survey for
Le Figaro
.
Even among Renaissance (66%) or LR (54%) sympathizers, who are in favor of postponing the legal age of departure to 64, a majority of respondents note the success of the day of mobilization.
“It is an important mobilization.
We knew she would be.
(…) We must listen to the messages in the processions”
, recognized for his part the ex-PS Minister of Labour, Olivier Dussopt, on Thursday.
Read also Pension reform: unions hail a successful first day and call for mobilization on January 31
While the head of government Elisabeth Borne is due to present her text Monday, January 23 in the Council of Ministers, only 41% of French people think that the executive will remain
"straight in its boots"
and will maintain its reform
"without changing anything"
.
For 47% of French people, the show of force could conversely force the government to review its copy.
“The fact that the French, especially those most mobilized against the reform, now think that mobilization will make it possible to obtain something – withdrawal or significant modifications – undoubtedly changes the situation”
, deciphers the president of Odoxa, Gaël Sliman.
A small minority (12%) believe that the government will have to
"give up" altogether.
its reform.
Unsurprisingly, left-wing sympathizers (71% at LFI and the PS) overwhelmingly believe in
the "victory"
of the street.
“The government has lost its first battle
,” brandished the leader of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, present Thursday in the Marseille procession.
A “very high”
level of support
Between the executive and the unions, the social arm wrestling would only begin.
The mobilization is supported at
"a very high level"
, underlines Gaël Sliman, who estimates it at two thirds of the French (66%).
Among them, one in five (18%) even claims to participate
“in one way or another”.
During the famous strikes of 1995 against the reform of the special pension schemes, carried by Alain Juppé, they were in comparison "only" 54% to
"support"
or
"have sympathy"
for the movement.
And “only” 53% to 56% in 2019, during the mobilization against the first attempt at macronist pension reform, carried out at the time by Édouard Philippe.
Strong support that should not crumble in the light of the next meetings, namely: the march organized at the initiative of La France Insoumise this Saturday, January 21;
but above all the new day of mobilization, scheduled for Tuesday, January 31.
An overwhelming majority (89%) of those who support the protest say they would still support it if the country were to experience major lockdowns in the coming weeks.
Especially since the French seem for the moment spared by the consequences of the strike: only 16% of them say they have been disturbed in their movements.
If the authorities feared scenes of chaos similar to those of the "yellow vests", the demonstrations also took place without major clashes.