What is fueling demonstrations in France?

Kathmandu: The streets of France have become the center point of huge public demonstrations nowadays.

The number of clashes between demonstrators and police along with fire-involved demonstrations is also increasing. Many violent riots have been affecting the lives of people and challenging the act of  government.

Many videos and photos of demonstrations of violence are getting attention from around the world.

This has led people to debate the question: ‘Is another revolution going to take place in France?’

France is known as a nation that always struggles between revolution and counter-revolution. Revolution has been one of the major identities of France.

These kinds of polarization is being observed in French politics for a decade.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s political party En Marche! (Renaissance) has established itself as a revolutionary party. Likewise, Marine Le Pen’s ‘Nationalist Party’ has been one of the prime right-wing political parties in France.

The tussle between Macron and Le Pen has cornered ‘Left Liberals’. But, the reason behind the current demonstration is more professional rather than political. The French population has been opposing the proposal of the ‘Pension Law’ since January.

The mandatory increment in the retirement age has been the most debated issue in the proposed pension bill.

Previously, the retirement age was 62 years old. Macron’s proposed bill has increased the age by two years to 64 years. Macron had been advocating the law since his second presidential election campaign.

Macron has claimed that the pension amount has created pressure on the national treasury as the average lifespan has increased and France has reached its extreme point for handling the situation. He has even challenged the protestors to present alternatives based on statistics.

The proposed bill increases the service period of employees as well as workers to additional two years for claiming the full-pension services.  The one who takes retirement at the age of 62 will have less pension amount along with losing many services.

Macron has been advocating the requirement for remarkable improvement in the pension procedure since his first tenure as president in 2021. The labor organizations close to the centrist political parties are one of the prime protestors against the bill.

Workers, teachers, and employees are part of the demonstration. More than a million people have been staging protests in the streets. The sanitation workers have also participated in the demonstration which has increased the issue of garbage collection in France.

Not only employees and workers but also the commoners of France have been protesting against the proposal. According to a survey, about two-thirds of the total population of France has been protesting.

France is one of the highest nations that spend the majority of its budget on the pension plan. The revision in the pension act affects a huge population of France which has been provoking huge revolutions.

But, the current debate is also concerned with the procedure for implementing the proposed bill. Generally, the lower house used to pass these types of bills with majority votes.

President Macron used his Veto-Power before voting takes place in the national assembly. There was the possibility of the act not being implemented if voting had taken place in the lower house.

Macron’s execution of the special power has given birth to constitutional debate. President had not used veto power during such a situation in the past. This has even blamed President Macron for bypassing the parliament.

Article 49.3 of the French Constitution has this special provision for the President. But, Macron’s use of the power raised debate regarding the relevancy of its use in the particular context.

All the political parties and MPs from the left, centrist, and right wings have been pressurizing President Macron to withdraw the pension law. A majority of political parties have been supporting the trade unions in the demonstration. Hence, this has led President Macron to a delicate situation.

President has the right to dissolve the parliament and conduct a new election in case of political insurgency. But, Macron does not seem to immediately take a such huge step. There was a huge general strike on March 23. Another strike has been already announced on March 28 Tuesday. There is still no clue about to what extreme this crisis will further extend and how will it end in France.