Tag: Protests

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Fresh protests erupt as French government pushes pension bill without full vote

People participate in a demonstration against the government's pension reform plan in Paris, France, on March 7, 2023. (Photo by Glenn Gervot/Xinhua/IANS)

Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally MPs in parliament, called the decision to push through the pension changes “a total failure for the government.”…reports Asian Lite News

Protesters have clashed with police again in central Paris over the French government’s pension reforms. Thousands of demonstrators lit fires and some threw firecrackers at police, who used tear gas to disperse them.

It is the second night of unrest since President Emmanuel Macron decided to push through the controversial reforms to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote, BBC reported.

No-confidence motions have been filed against his government in response.

The first was signed by independents and members of the left-wing Nupes coalition in parliament, while a second came from the far-right National Rally party.

Both are expected to be debated early next week, BBC reported.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally MPs in parliament, called the decision to push through the pension changes “a total failure for the government.”

Police made dozens of arrests during the unrest at Place de la Concorde, not far from the parliament building, BBC reported.

Protests also took place on Friday in other French cities – notably Bordeaux, Toulon and Strasbourg, BBC added.

“We won’t give up,” one demonstrator told AFP news agency. “There’s still hope that the reform can be revoked.”

Another told Reuters that pushing the legislation through without a vote was “a denial of democracy… a total denial of what has been happening in the streets for several weeks.”

The government has said the changes to pensions are essential to ensure the system is not overburdened and prevent it collapsing.

But many people, including union members, disagree and France has now seen more than two months of heated political debate and strikes over the issue.

Transport, public services and schools have all been affected, while a rolling walkout by waste collectors has seen thousands of tonnes of rubbish left on the streets of the capital, BBC reported.

Fuel deliveries have also been blocked and there are plans to stop production at a large refinery in Normandy in the coming days.

“Changing the government or prime minister will not put out this fire, only withdrawing the reform,” said the head of the moderate CFDT union, Laurent Berger.

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-Top News Arab News

Protests grip Israel against judicial reforms

Protests Israel.

The protesters in Tel Aviv held signs such as “Stop the craziness – fight for our country”, chanting slogans against Israeli President Isaac Herzog …reports Asian Lit News

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in different Israeli cities to protest the new government’s plan to implement widespread reforms of the judicial system.

Israeli media quoted the police as saying that over 80,000 protesters held the main protest in Tel Aviv. Smaller demonstrations were also held in other cities, in what was called one of the largest protests in the country in recent years, Xinhua news agency reported.

The protesters in Tel Aviv held signs such as “Stop the craziness – fight for our country”, chanting slogans against Israeli President Isaac Herzog who has so far remained silent on the controversy engulfing the country.

Last week, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced a series of reforms, including giving the parliament the ability to override supreme court rulings with a simple majority. In addition, politicians will have greater influence in the appointment of supreme court judges and legal advisers to ministries.

Opponents say these reforms will weaken the supreme court and undermine democracy in the country.

The new Israeli government, the most rightist one in history, has promised to have widespread reforms in several arenas since being sworn in two weeks ago. The judicial system has been the focal point of these reforms, which have aroused heated debate and strong protests.

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-Top News Europe UK News

Protests spread across Europe

thousands protest in Brussels, Belgium, for higher wages.(photo: twitter.com/syndicatfgtb)

Inflation, energy coast and demand for better pay and living conditions has spurred protests in England, Germany, Neatherlands, Spain, Portugal and France…reports Asian Lite News

Over 15,000 demonstrators braved the bitter cold in Brussels to call for more measures to shield them from high energy prices and better pay to counter runaway inflation.

The protests, backed by the three main unions, disrupted public services throughout Belgium, especially rail and subway systems in and around the capital as well as Brussels international airport.

With people increasingly under pressure from high prices, the unions demanded pay increases at a time when companies such as energy giants are making massive profits. They’re asking for a freeze in energy prices and increased taxation on capital.

“We won’t stop unless workers get what they deserve,” the unions said in a statement.

Meanwhile, demonstrators in several cities across Italy took to the streets after two of the country’s largest unions, CGIL and UIL, staged a one-day walkout.

They protested the government’s 2023 General Budget, which, they say, does not account for the loss of purchasing power due to inflation.

In London, the job satisfaction of the railway workers, who have begun another 48 hours of industrial action, has long since been derailed.

Backed by the RMT union, this is the sector’s second two-day strike so far this week and it looks like it will not be the last of this year.

In France, train controllers, who are threatening to strike during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, have until Monday to respond to a proposed wage increase from management.

Here are details of some of the industrial action and demonstrations.

Britain

  • Some 400 fast-food delivery staff employed by Tesco-owned (TSCO.L) Best Food Logistics have voted to strike over pay, the GMB union said on Thursday.
  • Postal workers began a two-day walkout on Thursday and a six-day strike in the run-up to Christmas looked set to go ahead after the Communication Workers Union rejected a pay offer from Royal Mail on Nov. 23.
  • More than 70,000 staff at British universities and teachers in Scotland walked out on Thursday to demand better pay.
  • Thousands of British railway workers will stage further strikes over the next two months in a long-running dispute over pay, the RMT union said on Nov. 22, signalling travel disruption before and after the Christmas holiday period.
  • Hundreds of workers at British security company G4S have voted to strike for 48 hours in early December in a dispute over pay, trade union GMB said on Nov. 22, warning the walk out could cause cash shortages over Christmas.
  • Thousands of British civil servants plan one month of “sustained industrial action” through the winter in an ongoing pay dispute, the Public and Commercial Services union said on Nov. 18, after the biggest strike vote in its history.
  • Trade union Unite said more than 700 workers at Bakkavor’s food manufacturing factory in Lincolnshire will strike from late November until the new year over pay, which the union said would hit Christmas food supplies to supermarkets Sainsbury, Tesco and Marks and Spencer.

Germany

  • Volkswagen agreed on Nov. 23 a two-year wage deal for around 125,000 workers at its western German factories, offering around 8.5% more pay – below inflation but more than other employers have yielded in recent weeks.
  • Germany’s IG Metall union agreed on Nov. 18 a below-inflation pay deal in a powerhouse region, setting the benchmark for 3.9 million metal and electrical sector workers nationwide.
  • Trade union Verdi said on Nov. 18 it had reached a wage agreement with energy company RWE for roughly 18,000 employees that includes one-off 3,000 euro ($3,122) payments and an increase in salaries of at least 6% from Feb. 1.
  • Lufthansa and the UFO union have reached a pay agreement for 19,000 cabin crew members, the German airline said.
  • German carmaker Audi is in favour of offering employees one-off tax-free payments instead of permanent wage increases, its human resources director said.

Netherlands

  • BP said on Nov. 22 that the planned restart of its large refinery in Rotterdam after it was closed due to a technical problem was on hold after unions said they would not help with the return to service due to a pay dispute.

France

  • The UNAC and SNGAF trade unions said they were calling for strike action over work conditions at Air France (AIRF.PA) during the Christmas holidays from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2.
  • France’s EDF said on Oct. 27 it had formally signed a wage agreement for its workers in the country with all unions present at the company.

Spain

  • A union group representing shop assistants at fashion retailer Zara has called a two-day strike over pay during the “Black Friday” sales on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25 in stores in the company’s home town of A Coruna in northern Spain.
  • Insurer Mapfre will pay a one-time 400 euro ($417.32) bonus at Christmas to its approximately 10,000 employees in Spain to help them cope with soaring inflation. The company provided a 350 euro bonus in July.
  • Thousands of Spaniards packed Madrid’s landmark Plaza Mayor square on Nov. 3 to demand higher pay, in the country’s first mass protest since the start of the cost of living crisis.

Portugal

  • Thousands of Portugal’s doctors, nurses, teachers and civil servants walked off the job on Nov. 18 to demand wage increases amid rampant inflation.

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-Top News World News

Dina Boluarte seeks early polls amid protests in Peru

Boluarte ordered the national police “to not use any lethal weapons, including rubber bullets,” saying those who do will face “the weight of the law”…reports Asian Lite News

Peru’s new President Dina Boluarte said she plans to meet the Congressional Constitution Committee to “shorten the timeframe” for holding the early general elections as deadly protests have intensified across the country.

The protests are being staged by angry supporters of leftist former President Pedro Castillo against his impeachment and subsequent arrest on December 7.

At least seven people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces in the southern departments of Apurimac and Arequipa.

On Monday, Boluarte, Castillo’s successor and former deputy, proposed bringing general elections forward by two years to April 2024 as protests intensified in several parts of the country, with Castillo’s supporters demanding his release, Boluarte’s resignation, early polls and the shutdown of the Congress.

In a statement on Tuesday, the President said she is heading a “transition” government that aims to “call for calm and dialogue” and “solve unresolved problems” in various regions, reports Xinhua news agency.

Boluarte ordered the national police “to not use any lethal weapons, including rubber bullets,” saying those who do will face “the weight of the law”.

Defence Minister Luis Otarola on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Arequipa.

Meanwhile, Castillo called Boluarte’s plans of early elections a “dirty game” and called her an “usurper”, reports the BBC.

The former President claimed he had been “kidnapped” and humiliated.

On Monday, protesters blocked roads and set fire to vehicles, and an estimated 2,000 stormed the airport in Arequipa, blocking the runway and forcing flights to be suspended for several hours.

Police finally dispersed them with tear gas.

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-Top News Sri Lanka

Protesters storm Sri Lankan President’s house

At least 20 people have been hospitalised following violent clashes between the police and the protesters, reports Asian Lite News

Demanding the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, anti-government Sri Lankan protesters on Saturday stormed the President’s House in Colombo braving several police and military barricades and tear gas shells.

Security forces fired teargas and water cannons to disperse the protesters but later withdrew and resorted to firing in the air.

At least 20 people have been hospitalised following violent clashes between the police and the protesters.

Since early Saturday night, there were attempts to disperse the protesters and university students who had occupied the area near the President’s House overnight.

The President’s whereabouts are currently unknown but it is suspected that he is at the heavily-guarded Army headquarters in Battaramulla.

A major people’s protest march to Colombo from around the island for Saturday has been planned by religious leaders, political parties, medical practitioners, university teachers, civil rights activists, farmers, and fishermen on Saturday demanding the resignation of President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

On Friday night, authorities enforced an indefinite curfew in entrance areas to Colombo and the Defence Ministry had warned police and military have been empowered to act against those engaging in any form of violence.

Lawyers challenged the declaration of curfew as illegal and announced that people could ignore it.

Since early Saturday, people from all the over the country starting pouring into Colombo in trains and buses, chanting slogans eGota go home’ and eGota a mad man’.

In the wake of the island nation’s worst economic crisis since it gained independence in 1948, people have been protesting since March 31 against President Rajapaksa and his government, asking him to step down.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

In the wake of the violent protests, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his brother former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and several other family members who were in the cabinet and parliament resigned.

With no fuel country’s transportation have been stopped completely for two weeks and Indian ocean island is virtually under lockdown.

The island nation of 22 million people has witnessed its foreign exchange reserves shrink due to economic mismanagement and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a result it has struggled to pay for imports of essential goods, including fuel, food and medicine.

In May, it defaulted on its debts for the first time in its history after a 30-day grace period to come up with $78 million of unpaid debt interest payments expired.

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