On Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters marched in Paris in defiance of a refinery strike causing fuel shortages across the country.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the France Unbowed (LFI) party, led a demonstration against the rising cost of living on Sunday. Anarchists fired teargas and used batons after being pelted with objects at several shops and at least one bank.
Yellow fluorescent vests were worn by protesters in 2018 to symbolize violent anti-government protests. The refinery standoff gives Macron’s opponents momentum.
Melenchon said Sunday while speaking on a truck in the middle of the crowd, “We’re going to have a week like we rarely have.” He continued, “Everything’s coming together in a good way.” Melenchon added, “We are starting off the week with this march, which has an incredible success so far.
There will be a national day of strikes on Tuesday, but not all French unions have announced it. On Tuesday, there will be a national day of strikes, but not all unions have announced it.
Strikes and protests in Paris
Since it intends to pass a highly controversial pension reform in the near future, the government closely monitors the strikes and protests.
President Macron has promised to raise the retirement age from 62 to 65 by the end of winter, having won re-election in April.
On condition of anonymity, one ruling party MP told AFP he was worried. “There must be a way to reconcile the need for reforms with the tiredness and riled up feelings of the people.”
TotalEnergies’ four refineries, all owned by the company, remained blocked on Sunday. The French company announced Friday that it had reached a pay agreement with its two largest unions.
But the hardline CGT union has refused to accept it, continuing to picket. Gabriel Attal, the budget minister, said Sunday’s strike was “unacceptable,” while Medef claimed “150 people” were “holding the country hostage.”
Esso-ExxonMobil
“Striking is fine, but the country must be able to work at some point,” Attal said to French media. A fortnight will be needed for operations at two refineries owned by Esso-ExxonMobil to return to normal, the company said.
Many petrol stations across the country experience supply problems, resulting in long wait times for drivers. Even emergency service vehicles are in short supply due to a reduction in travel and deliveries.
Fuel prices have caused some sympathy for employees pushing for higher wages due to the huge profits made by energy groups. However, according to a BVA poll released Friday, only 37 percent of respondents supported the strike.
The Greens, Socialists, and Communists backed Melenchon’s party, which organized Sunday’s protest march through Paris. The Nobel literature laureate Annie Ernaux had also written a letter urging people to join the march.
