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Demonstrators on the Place de la Nation in Paris: Many work longer than 62 years anyway
Photo: Michel Euler/AP
For the fourth time, France's unions have called for protests against the government's plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 963,000 people took part in the rallies across the country on Saturday, and the unions spoke of 2.5 million participants.
A previously unannounced strike linked to the pensions protests caused disruption at Paris' Orly Airport on Saturday.
As of midday, airlines were called upon to cancel half of their departures, the civil aviation authority said.
The unions announced a tougher approach.
A general strike is to paralyze France completely on March 7, and the next day on International Women's Day there are also plans to go on strike.
Extensive strikes were also announced for the Paris public transport company.
Doubts about government calculations
Many people in France are already working beyond the age of 62 if they have not paid in long enough to receive a full pension when they reach retirement age.
Opponents of the reform believe that people could hardly work longer in many professions.
In addition, the employees wanted to be able to enjoy their well-deserved pension and not completely wear out their health on the job.
President Emmanuel Macron, on the other hand, justifies the reform with an impending deficit in the pension fund.
Because the population is getting older, the employees would have to pay for an increasing number of pensioners with their contributions.
In order for the amount of the pension to be kept stable, the population would have to work a little more.
The critics question the government's calculations and say the state must find other sources of funding to keep the pension system in balance.
But the government doesn't just want to tighten the retirement age.
The increase in the necessary payment period for a full pension, which was decided years ago, is to be accelerated.
In addition, individual pension systems with privileges for certain occupational groups are to be abolished.
The minimum pension is to rise to around 1,200 euros.
The pension reform is considered one of Macron's most important projects.
During the corona pandemic, an initial attempt to implement the reform was aborted, and even then there were massive protests and strikes.
A number of presidents before Macron had tried to reform the French pension system with varying degrees of success – they were all certain of widespread protests and strikes.
With Macron's camp no longer enjoying an absolute majority in parliament, it hopes to push the reform through with the help of the conservative Républicains, who have announced support.
Some of the MPs - even from Macron's group - still have reservations.
pbe/dpa
