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Nationwide Strike Over Pensions Puts France at a Standstill

Published December 8th, 2019 - 07:46 GMT

France's unions agreed to start a strike to force President Emmanuel Macron to abandon pension reforms which caused great unrest in the country forcing nearly a million people on the streets.

Dozens of trains, metros and flights were cancelled, and four of the country's eight oil refineries remained blocked, raising the prospect of fuel shortages.

On the other hand, France's Prime Minister Édouard Philippe commented that he may uncover full details of the pension reform plans on Wednesday, insisting that the change would be gradual and "not brutal".

 

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A man wearing the DC comic Joker character's mask and waving a smoke bomb takes part in a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP

A man wearing the DC comic Joker character's mask and waving a smoke bomb takes part in a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP

Protesters take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, on Place de la Nation in Paris, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP

Protesters take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, on Place de la Nation in Paris, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP

Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP

Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP

Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP

Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP

People wearing Christmas hats try to make their way in the streets of Paris during a demonstration over the pension overhauls, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. BULENT KILIC / AFP

People wearing Christmas hats try to make their way in the streets of Paris during a demonstration over the pension overhauls, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. BULENT KILIC / AFP

A man throws a tear canister back as people stand amid tear gas smoke during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Bordeaux, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP

A man throws a tear canister back as people stand amid tear gas smoke during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Bordeaux, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP

Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP

Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP

People take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP

People take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP

A man holding a French flag and a yellow vest walks in tear gas as protestors gesture in the background during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Zakaria ABDELKAFI / AFP

A man holding a French flag and a yellow vest walks in tear gas as protestors gesture in the background during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Zakaria ABDELKAFI / AFP

A man and a woman hold signs reading "Pensioners, I will bleed you" and bearing pictures mocking French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

A man and a woman hold signs reading "Pensioners, I will bleed you" and bearing pictures mocking French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

A man holds a yellow flag during a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP

A man holds a yellow flag during a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP

A man wearing the DC comic Joker character's mask and waving a smoke bomb takes part in a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP
Protesters take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, on Place de la Nation in Paris, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
People wearing Christmas hats try to make their way in the streets of Paris during a demonstration over the pension overhauls, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. BULENT KILIC / AFP
A man throws a tear canister back as people stand amid tear gas smoke during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Bordeaux, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP
People take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP
A man holding a French flag and a yellow vest walks in tear gas as protestors gesture in the background during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Zakaria ABDELKAFI / AFP
A man and a woman hold signs reading "Pensioners, I will bleed you" and bearing pictures mocking French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
A man holds a yellow flag during a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP
A man wearing the DC comic Joker character's mask and waving a smoke bomb takes part in a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP
A man wearing the DC comic Joker character's mask and waving a smoke bomb takes part in a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP
Protesters take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, on Place de la Nation in Paris, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Protesters take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, on Place de la Nation in Paris, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Alain JOCARD / AFP
People wearing Christmas hats try to make their way in the streets of Paris during a demonstration over the pension overhauls, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. BULENT KILIC / AFP
People wearing Christmas hats try to make their way in the streets of Paris during a demonstration over the pension overhauls, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. BULENT KILIC / AFP
A man throws a tear canister back as people stand amid tear gas smoke during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Bordeaux, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
A man throws a tear canister back as people stand amid tear gas smoke during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Bordeaux, on December 5, 2019, as part of a national general strike. NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP
Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP
People take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP
People take part in a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. Thomas SAMSON / AFP
A man holding a French flag and a yellow vest walks in tear gas as protestors gesture in the background during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Zakaria ABDELKAFI / AFP
A man holding a French flag and a yellow vest walks in tear gas as protestors gesture in the background during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. Zakaria ABDELKAFI / AFP
A man and a woman hold signs reading "Pensioners, I will bleed you" and bearing pictures mocking French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
A man and a woman hold signs reading "Pensioners, I will bleed you" and bearing pictures mocking French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration against the pension overhauls, in Paris, on December 5, 2019 as part of a nationwide strike. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
A man holds a yellow flag during a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP
A man holds a yellow flag during a demonstration to protest against the pension overhauls, in Marseille, southern France, on December 5, 2019 as part of a national general strike. Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP

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