The French government has raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 years, using a special procedure that allows not to vote in parliament (parliament in response may issue a vote of no confidence in the government).
The decision sparked massive protests and strikes across the country. Including among the Parisian municipal enterprises that are engaged in garbage collection. As a result, the garbage in Paris has not been taken out for about 10 days. Public utility workers plan to take part in the next nationwide strike, which is scheduled for March 23.
Garbage bags filled the streets of Paris. And it is unlikely that all the garbage will be taken out in the near future. The protesters are ready to go to the end: the strikes of transport workers have been going on intermittently for more than two months.
Paris City Hall said that the amount of garbage on the streets on March 17 reached 10,000 tons. In some areas of the city, the smell of garbage is clearly felt.
Waste is trying to be taken out by employees of private companies who did not join the strike of municipal garbage collectors. They occupy about half of the Paris waste collection market. However, as the mayor’s office admits, the situation has not yet been reversed. Over the past week, the amount of uncollected garbage has increased by 50%.
Simultaneously with the strikes in Paris and other French cities, protests are taking place. Violence – from the police and protesters – is still less than during the actions of the “yellow jackets” in 2018. Then the protesters got the government to partially repeal the increase in taxes on hydrocarbon emissions, which increased fuel prices.
