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French Senate passes new retirement age bill, protestors block streets
Published: 23 October, 2010, 02:25
Edited: 24 October, 2010, 14:01
Anti riot police face young men as they protest against the breakers who caused damages on the edges of demonstrations against government's pension reform, on October 22, 2010 in Lyon
(12.5Mb) embed videoTAGS: Conflict, Crisis, Protest, Politics, Europe, Human rights, Law
The French Senate has approved pension reform, raising the retirement age to 62. The decision to support president Sarkozy's proposal has been approved in a vote that went to the wire.
The voting comes amid ongoing protests that hit the country more than a week ago.
Earlier, French police broke the blockade of a refinery that is crucial for the capital's fuel supplies.
But now it's reported that demonstrators captured one of the largest waste recycling centers just outside Paris.
It was a very close decision by the French Senate. The vote was 177 to 153, a very small margin by which the controversial pension reform was approved.
This is certainly not the final leg of this reform’s journey, as it will have to be approved by a National Committee comprised of senators and lower house lawmakers set to meet on Monday, the 25th of October. However, the Senate’s decision is a big step, particularly because, for days, many demonstrators have been protesting this proposal, causing chaos and practically pushing France to a state of standstill.
Protestors blocked oil refineries, causing millions in losses to the French air industry and those businesses and private citizens relying on auto transportation.
This reform has already been set by the French government to be instrumental in helping the French economy off its knees as it suffers the aftershocks of the global financial crisis.
But those French protestors on the streets definitely do not see it that way, saying they do not believe they need to work until the age of 62.
The current French retirement age of 60 is one of the lowest in the world, with countries in Europe, such as Spain and Italy, already raising their retirement age to 62 or higher and with not as much opposition from its citizens.
However, the French people have their own way of dealing with the issue and this means taking to the streets – exactly what they have been doing over the last week.
Now all eyes are on French trade unions and the National Committee, but it looks like, despite all odds, the Committee will give it its final approval on Monday.
The French government is unlikely to give in to the pressure protestors putting on them and is likely to proceed with the reform, believes chief economist from Xerfi Financial Consultancy Alexander Law.
“I do not think that [the] government is going to cave in too much for two reasons. The first reason is that this is an essential reform. You can debate over whether it was represented correctly, but something had to be done,” he said. “You have got to also recognize the fact that there are going to be elections in 2012, general elections, presidential elections, and if Nicolas Sarkozy and of course Fillon government are seen to blink, to give in to demands from the streets, they are probably going to be losing some of their right-wing backing.”
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I live on an island , I was was left there when my parents were on a cruise and their sailboat sunk . I was five .I pay no taxes ,I made a raft when I was ten ,I left and found another island that had only 9 people on it. I paid no taxes ,the food was free for picking and the fish was a fun sport that fed us ,shelter was easily made once a year in a couple of days ,I left on a homemade canoe and found another island that had only 99 people on it . I paid no one any fees or taxes , We picked our food from nature and also planted some of the seeds to grow more and we ate from the ocean again we paid no taxes but we helped the elderly and they helped teach us young folk about things we didnt know, I made a large sailboat and sailed and found another island that had 999 people on it again i ate good food and enjoyed a life of lesiure, and i left again i found a place that had 9,999 people still the same ,no taxes no hard work just good happy living,i left again to 99,999 people the same ,i left and found 999,999 people the same as before ,i left and found 9,999,999 people and the same happened and i left ,i found 99,999,999 people and the same and left now 300,000,000 people and guess what i found
Well... the protesters can burn whatever they want, and block all of the gasoline trucks they care to, but when their pension checks Stop coming in due to government insolvency they may have No choice but to return to work! (but of course by then it will be too late) Cake anyone?
ribin21, you evidenty evaporate too often. Look the rainy leagacy, condense, accumulate, enjoy the sky and let the heaven find you, then simply fall down to some soil needing you. By the way - where were you during this summer fires in Russia? You don't care for yourself and too much relate to people environment. But the difference is, we only condensed long time before you came to the simple idea. With the first drop of rain, expecting today, I'll wait you with love, Rikard