On Friday April 14, 2023, Emmanuel Macron promulgated the pension reform after the validation of the main part of the text by the Constitutional Council. Since then, the president has multiplied his speeches and trips to the territory. However, since this decision, the unions and the French have expressed their anger. Indeed, the inter-union mobilized for a day of demonstration and national strike on May 1st.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 782,000 demonstrators were present throughout France. The CGT evokes the figure of 2.3 million French people mobilized. During these processions, pot concerts enlivened the event. But this is not the first time that locals have used kitchen utensils to show their displeasure. Indeed, all the movements of Emmanuel Macron since the promulgation have been punctuated by these pans.
On April 17, 2023, Emmanuel Macron spoke for the first time on the JT of TF1 and France 2 live from the Elysée. He reaffirmed the need for reform before mentioning the strategy of “100 days of appeasement”. At the time of this speech, small groups gathered in Savoie for a concert of saucepans. The objective was to show that they do not wish to listen to Emmanuel Macron’s speech and that they firmly opposed his choices, according to France Bleu. On Wednesday April 19, he then left for Sélestat, in the Bas-Rhin, where he was booed. He then added the next day that “eggs and saucepans are for cooking”, as collected by FranceInfo.
But following his first meeting in the east of France with the inhabitants, prefectural decrees prohibited the use of eggs and casseroles. Nevertheless, the French and the unions continued to express their anger. Indeed, following the announcement of the program for the next hundred days by Emmanuel Macron, the CGT Energie announced, on April 21, the establishment of “100 days of action and anger”.
The objective is to carry out actions to disrupt major events. Thus, during the final of the Coupe de France football which took place at the Stade de France on April 29, the CGT distributed red cards and whistles to be used at the time of the match or the presentation of the cup by the president . Nevertheless, the police confiscated the boxes distributed before entering the stadium, as indicated by BFM TV.
In addition, the president is expected again Thursday, May 4 in Charente-Maritime as announced by the government. What will he address in this new speech? Will this visit be disrupted by opponents of the reform?
In a letter to members of his party, Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed the need to continue travel despite the disputes, as revealed by RTL. “In the coming weeks, like me, you will once again travel the country, proud of who you are and of what our country has become over the past six years with you and thanks to you”, he addresses to his group. He then ends up concluding that “nothing would be worse than letting the voices of the progressives be drowned out by the cries of the demagogues”. The pot concerts will therefore not stop the president’s visits.
On this line, the president is expected at the Bernard Palissy technological and professional high school in Saintes, in Charente-Maritime. He will be accompanied by the Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye, Labor Olivier Dussopt and Vocational Education Carole Granjean. The objective of this field visit is to announce the key points of the vocational high school reform planned by the government. What is it?
According to information collected by BFM TV, the Elysée has clarified the three main axes of this reform and the speech of the president Thursday, May 4. These remarks will therefore focus on “the fight against school dropout, the improvement of professional integration and the recognition of the work and commitment of the teaching staff”. The government then adds that the objective is to “make young people succeed and have the skills of today and the future”.
In addition, the unions will probably be mobilized to make noise again and disrupt Emmanuel Macron’s visit.
