More than 2.5 million demonstrators take to the streets in France

[Watchman]

France hit by new wave of mass pension protests

France hit by new wave of mass pension protests
16 October 2010 Last updated at 20:40 GMT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11559265

The BBC's Christian Fraser says President Sarkozy faces a testing few days

A fifth day of protests in France against proposed pension reforms has brought 825,000 people on to the streets, police say, although unions put the figure at 2.5m to 3m.

The government wants to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 and the full state pension age from 65 to 67.

Most oil refineries have been hit by strike action, causing fuel shortages at some airports and filling stations.

A further day of strikes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Continue reading the main story
Related stories
In pictures: French protests
Global pensions conundrum
France's bitter war over pensions

The pension reforms have already been approved by the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament.

The upper house, the Senate, has endorsed the key articles on raising the retirement age, and is due to vote on the full text on Wednesday.

Public and private sector workers took part in strikes on Saturday across France, in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille and Toulouse. Unions had called for more than 200 marches nationwide.

"We are not here to bring France to its knees and create a shortage, we are here to make ourselves heard," Christian Coste, of the CGT trade union, told the Associated Press.

A group of what the police described as anarchists operated on the fringes of the main demonstration, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.

As the protest drew to a close, they began ransacking café terraces, breaking windows and setting fire to bins.

Some of them briefly occupied the Opera House at Bastille.

The clashes did not last long, but they are a reminder to the government and unions of how quickly things can get out of hand, our correspondent says.
Panic buying

All 12 refineries in mainland France have been affected by strike action. Ten have shut down or are in the process of closing. A number of fuel depots have been blockaded.

However, a pipeline supplying the two main airports in Paris, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, is now back in service. It was cut off by strike action, raising fears that Charles de Gaulle would run out of fuel by Tuesday.

France also has a strategic fuel reserve which holds up to three months of supplies.

However, some 10% of filling stations have run out of petrol and panic buying has broken out in some areas.
Continue reading the main story
Pension protest numbers
Tuesday 12 October: 1.2m (police) - 3.5m (unions)
Saturday 2 October: 899.000 - 3m
Thursday 23 September: 997,000 - 3m
Tuesday 7 September: 1.2m - 2.7m

In Marseille, rubbish is piling up around the port amid a strike by bin collectors that has now lasted four days.

More than 300 high schools have been affected by strikes and blockades - about one in 15 across the country - as students have joined the pension protests in the past week.

Lorry drivers will decide on Monday whether to join the strikes.

More than one million people took to the streets in the previous national protest on Tuesday, according to police. Trade unions organisers said 3.5m had taken part.

The last weekend day of demonstrations was Saturday 2 October, when the numbers were about 900,000 according to police and 3m according to unions.

Seventy percent of people polled this week think the sporadic strikes will build into a national protest movement like the one in 1995, and over half said they would support it.

In 1995, three continual weeks of strikes by public and transport workers forced the government to abandon plans for economic reforms, including raising the retirement age.

 

[Watchman]

Europe

Protests attack France pension plan
More than 2.5 million demonstrators take to
the streets, unions say, as fears of a fuel shortage loom.
Last Modified: 16 Oct 2010 19:11 GMT

Protesters in Paris as part of a national day of mass rallies against pension reforms [REUTERS]

The battle over a planned overhaul of France's pension system has intensified, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in the latest of a series of protests across the country.

Labour unions said that more than 2.5 million people joined the demonstrations on Saturday as strikes
at shut down oil refineries, sparking fears of a petrol shortage, and temporarily cut supplies to Paris's airports.

"Both sides seem to be really digging their heels in. [President] Sarkozy wants people to know he's not giving into pressure from the street," Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from the French capital, said.

A broad alliance of unions, left-wing parties and students warned that another nationwide protest will be held on Tuesday in a final attempt to stop the legislation, which would raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 and see state pensions not awarded until aged 67, ahead of a government vote on Wednesday.

About 300,000 people had marched from Place de la Republique to Place de la Nation in Paris on Saturday, the labour unions said, but the government has claimed that the protests might be losing steam.

The government said it had counted 850,000 marchers at Saturday's protest, down from 899,000 at a previous demonstration on October 2.

"I think the French people have understood that pension reform is essential and necessary," Eric Woerth, the labour minister, told French television.

Fuel shortage fears

Since September 27, strikes against pension and port reforms at oil depots in the south of the country have left 63 oil, gas and chemical tankers waiting off the Mediterranean coast, Marseille port authorities said.

Strikes put pressure on petrol and diesel supplies across the country, notably when supplies to Paris's regional and international airports were cut on Friday, but the pipelines running south from Le Havre were reportedly working again by late on Saturday.

Christine Lagarde, the economy minister, urged people not to panic over petrol supplies, as the country had ample stocks for now.

"We have reserves," she told France's RTL radio, adding supply problems had affected 230 petrol stations out of a total 13,000 in the country. "People mustn't panic."

Police were able to break up blockades at three fuel depots in southern France, easing some of the pressure at petrol stations, but that has not eased fears of a fuel shortage.

"People are panic buying. We’ve seen long lines of motorists queuing at filling stations," Al Jazeera's Harry Smith, reporting from Paris, said.

Lorry drivers are heavyweights in the realm of French protest movements and have announced their intention to join the protests.

Maxime Dumont, the head of the CFDT union's lorry drivers' section, said drivers could block fuel depots and food warehouses and clog roads by driving slowly.

Trash collectors in Marseille have also joined in the strikes, burning rubbish in the streets.

Unpopular presidency

The reforms remain likely to pass the Senate on Wednesday, but the protest movement has become the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly unpopular presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy.

The government says that raising the retirement age is the only way to save the money-draining pension system and that people have to work longer because they are living longer.
There are fears that Paris' airports could run out of fuel as the blockade of fuel depots continues [EPA]


Those opposed to the law say the government is rushing it through without enough consultation – an error that Dominique de Villepin was also accused of making in 2005, and which handicapped his term as France's prime minister.

But many of the protestors, including the opposition Socialist Party, acknowledge the need for some kind of reform to the system.

"Retirement reform is necessary - we're all agreed. To do it, we need to debate, to negotiate, and above all, fairness," Martine Aubry, the Socialist leader said in an interview on France 2.

Other groups are more categorically opposed.

Olivier Besancenot, the charismatic leader of the New Anticapitalist Party (NPA) is back in the public limelight, after months of silence following his party’s disappointing results in the regional and EU elections.

In an interview with Le Monde, he declared that "a new May '68 is possible," referring to the nationwide protests and strikes that ended Charles De Gaulle's presidency.

The president’s political capital is heavily invested in the reforms, and with neither sides likely to back down, the conflict could continue to undermine the government well after the vote.

Youth mobilisation

Of all the groups fighting against changes to the retirement age, young people arguably represent the biggest menace to the government.

Workers' unions may have considerable political influence, but historically youth protest have contributed significantly toward bringing down government reforms.

More than 150 young people were detained across the country on Friday, according to the interior ministry. Both students and police have been injured, and the ministry has urged police to exercise restraint.

Juliane Charton, the treasurer for the UNL, a leading student union, said the government was choosing repression over dialogue with the student movement.

"The government's response to this mobilisation is completely irresponsible," she told Al Jazeera, referring to the outbreaks of violence between police and students.

Members of the governing UMP party have said that the young protesters are being manipulated, but Charton said the youth mobilisation was independent and "absolutely not" linked to any political party.

Charton said the planned reforms are of immediate concern for young people in France, since delaying retirement for the employed will increase the already high unemployment amongst the youth.

"This is a fight for the right to stable employment," Charton said.

 

[singveld]

damn the french . no wonder why they kill their king, time have change, but the french stay the same.

 

[bodycells]

This shows that french has balls , unlike you bunch of balless sinkies.

 

[Watchman]

If I don't post it here .

Singapore news will not be bordered to even have it in the news .

 

[jascobsgoh]

This shows that french has balls , unlike you bunch of balless sinkies.

Sinkies are not balless, all are bravely waiting for the next guy to fight on their behalf.

 

[Royalblood]

Can't help but feel that the frenchies are protest for the sake of.....just that, protesting. Just jump into the protesting bandwagon without understanding the underlying reasons nor the consequences.

Stupid fucking frenchie, no wonder they lost every war they fought!:oIo:

 

[myfoot123]

Singapore one man protest (or look like he is protesting) is also considered illegal. Singapore is too insecured and sad under PAP.

 

[Spock]

Can't help but feel that the frenchies are protest for the sake of.....just that, protesting. Just jump into the protesting bandwagon without understanding the underlying reasons nor the consequences.

Stupid fucking frenchie, no wonder they lost every war they fought!:oIo:

Ah, it is not protesting for the sake of protesting. It is showing that they are ready to put up a good fight for every little concession. This is Negotiating 101. If you show toughness even on a small little issue, your opponents will think twice about demanding bigger concessions.

 

[singveld]

i dun like the french, but sometime you have to give it to them. C'est BON.

18 October 2010 Last updated at 14:52 GMT

French strikes force petrol stations to shut
Youths clashed with police in Nanterre, Paris and more than 200 schools were closed across France
About 1,500 petrol stations in France have run dry or are about to close as fuel supplies are hit by strikes over government pension reforms, officials say.

A blockade of oil refineries is into its seventh day and the body that supplies most supermarkets says one in four petrol stations is affected.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has called a crisis cabinet to protect supplies.

Oil company Exxon Mobil has described the situation as "critical".

The exact number of France's 12,000 petrol stations affected by the strikes is unclear, but an Exxon spokeswoman said that anyone looking for diesel around Paris or in the western area of Nantes would face problems.

Severe shortages have been reported in Brittany in north-west France and the International Energy Agency says that France has begun tapping into its emergency oil reserves.

Workers at France's 12 oil refineries have been on strike for a week and entrances to many of the country's fuel distribution depots have been blocked.

Continue reading the main story
At the scene

Christian Fraser
BBC News, Paris
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

These could be the defining few days of Nicolas Sarkozy's presidency.

He was elected to fix the economy and the pension reform bill is the key element of his reform programme. If it sinks, so does his credibility.

Wherever you look around the country the crisis is growing and all the momentum is behind the unions.

All the signs are that things are deteriorating by the hour. And, on top of it all, problems have been reported in suburbs of Paris.

Police fired tear gas in two areas of the city on Monday, Nanterre and Combs-La-Ville, where massed youths had vandalised bus-stops and set fire to cars.

Riot police are on orders to be careful not to antagonise an already volatile situation.

Panic-buying led to a 50% increase in fuel sales last week.

Go-slow

Strike action against the government's reform plans is being ramped up, with lorry drivers starting the week by staging a go-slow on motorways around several major cities including Paris, Lille and Lyon.

A further day of strikes is scheduled for Tuesday, on the eve of a key Senate vote on the pensions bill.

Half of flights to and from Paris's Orly airport and one in three flights at other airports are being cancelled, according to aviation officials.

Airport operator ADP said there were already some delays at the capital's largest airport, Charles De Gaulle, on Monday because of strikes by oil workers.

Street protests have been planned in a number of cities and disruption is also expected on public transport and in schools.

The government wants to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 and the full state pension age from 65 to 67.

Burning cars

There was already demonstrations outside 261 schools on Monday, which the education ministry said had been blockaded.

In the western suburb of Nanterre in Paris, dozens of students clashed with riot police who fired rubber bullets.

Shop windows were reported broken in the Saint-Denis suburb, where education officials said more than half the areas secondary schools had been blockaded.

In Lyon, several cars were burned and one teacher whose car was badly damaged by fire complained: "They want to fight [against the pension reform]. OK, but they have to understand the meaning of what they are doing".

In other developments:

In some cities, such as Toulouse (south-west) or Saint-Etienne (centre), public transport depots were blocked on Monday morning, preventing buses and tramways from operating for several hours.
Rail traffic was being disrupted with one in two fast TGV trains running, and one in three normal-speed trains running.
Although the Eurostar train service between Paris and London is normal, there is no Eurostar service between Brussels and London on Monday due to a strike in Belgium.
A key fuel pipeline that supplies the two airports in Paris has been restored, but the civil aviation authority is warning airlines operating at Charles de Gaulle to arrive with enough fuel to make the return journeys.
Crisis cabinet

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has ordered key ministers to form a crisis cabinet with the role of ensuring the continuity of fuel supplies.

Continue reading the main story “Start QuoteThe government is in control. There will be no blockade for companies, no blockade for transport and no blockade for road users”

End Quote Christian Estrosi Industry Minister
Prime Minister Francois Fillon has insisted he will not allow the refinery strikes to hit the French economy.

Several other figures have said the country is not at risk of fuel shortages.

"The government is in control," Industry Minister Christian Estrosi told French radio on Monday.

"There will be no blockade for companies, no blockade for transport and no blockade for road users."

The head of the French Petrol Industries Association, Jean-Louis Schilansky, has said fuel shortages are not yet at crisis point.

"If the lorry drivers go on strike, if people block the refineries, then we will have a very big problem. But we're not at that stage yet," he said.

France has a strategic fuel reserve which holds up to three months of supplies, the government says.

Public support
Continue reading the main story
Pension protest numbers
Saturday 16 October: 825,000 (police) - 2.5 million - 3 million (unions)
Tuesday 12 October: 1.2 million - 3.5 million
Saturday 2 October: 899.000 - 3 million
Thursday 23 September: 997,000 - 3 million
Tuesday 7 September: 1.2 million - 2.7 million

According to the latest opinion polls, more than 70% of French people continue to support strike action.

On Saturday, a fifth day of protests brought 825,000 people on to the streets, police said, although unions put the figure at 2.5 million to three million.

The pension reforms have already been approved by the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament.

The upper house, the Senate, has endorsed the key articles on raising the retirement age, and is due to vote on the full text on Wednesday.

 

[singveld]

protesters blocking fuel depot

protestors distributing leaflets at highway toll booth

french panic buying of gasoline leading to shortages

 

[popdod]

French companies should just migrate their headquarters & operations to sinkapore...

coz even they pay us $3/hr.....we will still work for it...
and grateful for them.

The french r really greedy ppl...not contented like us sinkies.

:(

 

[singveld]

youth clash with police in paris

strike by rubbish collector in marseille

workers of semiconductors come out to block road

 

[singveld]

secondary school students protest by blocking school entrance


CHEE BYE FRENCH, almost everything they are doing in france now are illegal in singapore. I hilter salute the french.

 

[Royalblood]

Ah, it is not protesting for the sake of protesting. It is showing that they are ready to put up a good fight for every little concession. This is Negotiating 101. If you show toughness even on a small little issue, your opponents will think twice about demanding bigger concessions.

On the flip side, it gives potential foreign investors a very negative image of the country. The frenchie better make sure that their own domestic productions are able to sustain their already wanning economy.


It's always good to do things in moderation. The frenchies seem highly addicted to protesting and any form of addiction is bad.

 

[eErotica69]

This shows that french has balls , unlike you bunch of balless sinkies.

No wonder someone here said the you are tonychat's clone!!

Hey, you haven't told me whether you support Yellow PAD dogs or the Reds.

 

[postnew]

Striking workers of French oil giant Total vote to continue the strike during a general assembly in the oil refinery of Donges, near Nantes, October 18, 2010. France started to tap its industry strategic reserves as a growing number of pumps in French petrol stations were drying up on Monday at the start of a second week of action by refinery and port strikers to block fuel supplies over an unpopular pension reform bill.​

 

[postnew]

Riot police officers surround a young woman during a students demonstration in Lyon, central France, Monday Oct. 18, 2010. French oil workers defied the government's demand Monday to get back to work and end scattered fuel shortages, stepping up their fight against President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age to 62. Youths and truckers escalated the protests.​

 

[postnew]

High school children block their school with a banner reading "School children on strike" in Marseille, southern France, Monday Oct.18, 2010.​

 

[postnew]

A woman walks past piles of garbage in Marseille, southern France, Monday Oct.18, 2010. Schools, trains, public transport and even garbage collection in Marseille have been blocked by strikes to pressure Sarkozy to back down.​