THIS WEEK IN PROTEST — France. March 9th, 2016.
224,000 people joined the protests against Labour reforms in France.
‘I rebel therefore I exist’ said Albert Camus.
This is my first post in a series of “This Week in Protest”. Each week, people around the world take streets of their cities to remind their governments that their voices matter. In this series I want to collect the best images from protests around the world.
TRENDING HASHTAG — #LOITRAVAIL
BRIEF
This week is dedicated to rallies staged by students and unions across France against the labour reforms. According to official figures 224,000 protesters went on the streets to show their rejection of reforms.
What’s Happening?
The government of Francois Hollande wants to loosen a number of rules on hiring and firing. It will give employers more scope to lay off workers and cut costs, allow some employees to work far longer than a 35-hour week and make it easier to fire workers on economic grounds when companies run into difficulties.
Protester’s words:
“There’s a feeling of real betrayal; François Hollande had promised youth would be his priority and yet it seems to be the reverse.” ~ Guardian
FACT SHEET:
Some 144 marches and protests were held nationwide
At least 90 lycées were barricaded across France.
Official police figures say 224,000 people joined the protests
“Students Unite Against the Employment Law Reforms” — Main slogan of the protest.
What people at the protest say?
My friend who joined the protesters at La Place de la Republique said that ‘this is just the warm up, before the real storm’. She was increasingly dissatisfied by the actions of the government trying to give more powers to businesses.
‘There were people from different backgrounds and political views. Mainly left-wing groups of course. What united all of us is our government’s failure to fulfil the promises they’ve given to us when they were getting elected.”
“I don’t think they understand that youth is in a difficult economic situation right now. This law will decrease their powers and will increase the powers of businesses.”
What Can Happen?
Reuters reports that public opinion in France remains devided 50 percent of people supported the protests, while a quarter opposed them and another quarter expressed indifference.
This may be a real threat to the French president. Hollande will likely keep a close eye on the number of students in the streets, keen to avoid a repeat of the massive student protests 10 years ago that forced then president Jacques Chirac to withdraw his own set of proposed labour reforms.
This post wouldn’t be possible without of help of great ‘Instagrammers’ who agreed to share their photos to make this post.
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