Emmanuel Macron faces a new national day of strikes and demonstrations this Thursday after the parliamentary struggle that ended on Monday with the adoption of the unpopular pension reform.
The unions and the opposition want to show that, after a week of political and social tension, the movement is far from exhausted.
And that, on the contrary, it can be expanded and pose an even greater challenge to the President of the Republic.
More than three hundred demonstrations are called throughout France, as well as strikes in key sectors such as energy, transport or education.
It is the ninth day of strikes and demonstrations since the Government presented the law in January.
The previous eight failed to deter Macron in his efforts to raise the retirement age in France from 62 to 64.
But the day of this Thursday has something different.
It is the first after a few days in which the demonstrations have led France to a political and social crisis whose only recent precedent is the revolt of the yellow vests in 2018.
"For a democracy without Borne [French Prime Minister]", can be read on one of the banners of the Nantes demonstration.
LOIC VENANCE (AFP)
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the France Unsubmissive, addresses the media during the demonstration in Marseille.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON (AFP)
A CGT union protester waves flares during a demonstration in Nice.
ERIC GAILLARD (Reuters)
A protester burns a container during the demonstration in Nantes.
STEPHANE MAHE (REUTERS)
Day of protests through the streets of the French city of Bordeaux.
PHILIPPE LOPEZ (AFP)
Protesters walk near the Vieux Port during the strike day, this Thursday in Marseille.
NICOLAS TUCAT (AFP)
Demonstrators protest through the streets of Nantes.LOIC VENANCE (AFP)
Demonstration against the pension reform in the French city of Nantes.
LOIC VENANCE (AFP)
Demonstrators protest through the streets of Reims, this Thursday.
FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI (AFP)
Passengers walk along the road with their suitcases during the strike at Terminal 1 of the Paris-Charles de Gaulle International airport on Thursday.
LUCIEN LIBERT (REUTERS)
A commuter walks near the Pont de Levallois metro station in Paris on Thursday.
CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON (EFE)
Commuters await the departure of trains at the Paris station.
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT (AFP)
General view of the empty platforms of the train station in Paris.
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT (AFP)
On March 16, after verifying that in the National Assembly he lacked sufficient votes to approve the law, Macron resorted to article 49.3 of the Constitution.
This article allows a law to be imposed without a vote.
In exchange, the opposition can present a motion of censure and, at the same time, bring down the government and annul the law.
Both no-confidence motions tabled on Monday failed, although one fell just nine votes short of a majority.
The law was approved.
Now it is pending the opinion of the Constitutional Court.
The end of the legislative process could mean the beginning of the end of the social movement, due to exhaustion or resignation.
But the expeditious way in which the law has been approved (the opposition considers that there has been a "denial of democracy") has added, for many French people, new reasons for outrage against the president.
It could be the prelude to an even bigger challenge on the street.
Macron's television interview on Wednesday did little to calm things down.
The president made no concessions to the claims.
He said the "legitimate anger" being expressed at the peaceful mass demonstrations must be listened to, but added: "We will not tolerate any spillover."
The president's words were a warning to the protagonists, since the application of article 49.3 last week, of altercations in Paris and other cities.
The riots are a novelty in a hitherto peaceful movement.
The NGO Amnesty International has warned about "excessive use of force [by the French police] and abusive arrests."
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