A WIN DISCUSSION. April 2023.
FRANCE:A DESPATCH FROM THE FRONT – YouTube
The mass uprising against President Macron’s new pension law has been an inspiration to workers across Europe and the world. It was only after three months of strikes, demonstrations and bitter social conflict, and only by resorting to the bonapartist constitutional devices of the Fifth Republic, that Macron was able to impose the raising of the pension age to 64. Macron is now ruling by decree – just like the Bruning and Von Papen governments in Germany in 1932-33. But the population of France is resisting to its very depths the reactionary programme that Macron and his government are determined to pursue over the next four years.
On 19th April, Macron was booed by a crowd even in the little town of Sélestat in Alsace – one of the least left-wing regions in France – forcing him to rethink his planned weekend schedule of local visits. And on 20th April striking energy workers cut off the electricity supply to Montpelier airport, where Macron was due to land, and a large mass of demonstrators blocked the entrance to the airport.
Hear from the front line the story of the huge wave of strikes and demonstrations that has rocked France since January 2023!
How has the ruling class reacted to the social crisis? What are the prospects for the labour movement? Can the workers still hope to beat Macron? To answer these questions, we invited Olivier Delbeke (editorial board of aplutsoc.org) to introduce a discussion on the situation in France today.
Photo – Peter Curbishley is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0