Nationwide Protest in France in 2023 Against Proposed Pension Reform

In the autumn of 2019, France was the focal point of a sizable wave of strikes and protests that rippled over the whole nation. The planned pension reform, which sought to restructure France's convoluted pension system, served as the impetus for these protests. The measure was received with fierce opposition, sparking protracted demonstrations that revealed the public's genuine worries about their social welfare and retirement prospects in France. With its high benefits and retirement arrangements, France's pension system has long been a pillar of its social safety net. According to the pay-as-you-go model, current employees' contributions pay for existing retirees' pensions. Although this model offers a steady pension plan, it has encountered difficulties as a result of demographic shifts such an ageing population and decreased birth rates. The government's proposal for a thorough pension reform was spurred by these issues. The transition to a universal points-based pension system will eliminate the best benefits for a variety of occupations, including attorneys, opera singers, and sailors. By raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, it was intended to signal that people who left the workforce earlier would get a reduced pension depending on the points accumulated. Despite the general public's awareness of the need for change, the most recent strike has overwhelmingly positive support. It is anticipated to continue into the middle of 2023, and some union officials have threatened to continue it until Mr. Macron abandon his campaign to refurbish the retirement system before the election. The larger public is where the problem lies; surveys consistently showed that the majority of the population supported the strikes and disapproves of how the government is dealing with the change