Adam Nossiter, New York Times: General Strike in France Challenges Macron’s Latest Ambition for Change
The president wants to combine a complex of 42 different generous pension schemes into one state system. It scares fellow citizens. And his personal style grates on many.
PARIS — The streets of French cities were filled with anti-government demonstrators, tear gas and police officers on Thursday as Emmanuel Macron again faced what has become an emblem of his presidency: social unrest. This time it was a general strike over his plans to overhaul the country’s pension system.
Much of the country came to a halt as transport workers went on a strike that could last into next week. By some estimates nearly half a million took part nationwide in the demonstrations. Trains, subways and buses were canceled, many schools were closed, and thousands were forced to stay home from work across the country.
In Paris, smoke billowed from the Place de la République and the wide Boulevard de Magenta was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with unionists furious with Mr. Macron. In Rennes, protesters smashed store windows; in Nantes, the riot police pushed the crowds back with tear gas; in Lyon, scuffles broke out between the police and demonstrators.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 5, 2019
Explainer: What's at stake in Macron's reform of France's cherished pensions? -- Leigh Thomas, Reuters
Macron pension reform: Why are French workers on strike? -- BBC
A look at France’s heated debate over pensions -- Sylvie Corbett, AP
What's behind the wave of Middle East protests? -- BBC
North Korea's Christmas Gift to President Trump: A Missile or Nuclear Test? -- Robert E. Kelley, National Interest
U.S. Uighur bill's threat to surveillance economy puts China on offensive -- Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle and David Brunnstrom, Reuters
China’s growing global challenge to US interests -- Manoj Kumar Mishra, Asia Times
Why Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party could be bad news for Ethiopia -- Awol K Allo, Al Jazeera
UK election is full of dirty tricks and political clicks -- Danica Kirka, AP
Who Will Win Next Thursday in Britain? -- Denis MacShane, The Globalist
Will Brexit and the general election see Scotland leave the United Kingdom? -- Europe bureau chief Samantha Hawley, ABC News Online
The Day After NATO -- Joschka Fischer, Project Syndicate
NATO must not become an alliance only for the few -- Faisal Al Yafai, Asia Times
NATO No Longer Serves American Interests -- Doug Bandow, National Interest
Confusion, Unforced Errors, and the Costs of Having No Strategy. -- Peter Harris, RCW
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CBC Chair Bass: ‘We Know Who This President Answers to, and It’s Not the American People — It’s Putin’
If I were the Russians (and was good bad or indifferent), I would worry that there were so many crazy people running America.
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