Demonstrators vandalise party base in bid to thwart Macron’s pension reforms
Intimidation grows ahead of today’s vote that could bring down the bill and the government in Paris
ANTI-MACRON protesters smashed the offices of the leader of France’s conservatives to intimidate his party into blocking controversial pension reforms and possibly bring down the government in a crunch vote today.
Demonstrators targeted Éric Ciotti, head of the Republican party, to force him to join other opposition groups in voting to oust Emmanuel Macron’s government in a no-confidence vote.
“The thugs who did this want to violently pressure my vote on Monday. I will never yield to the new disciples of terror,” said a defiant Mr Ciotti.
Mr Ciotti is one of several MPS who have become the targets of protesters following Mr Macron’s decision on Thursday to push through his unpopular pension reforms using an effective constitutional veto to bypass a parliamentary vote.
The move triggered street protests across the weekend and two motions of no-confidence in parliament. If passed, the ballot will bring down both the government and the bill. Mr Macron will survive as president, either way.
Mr Ciotti has said he will not support the no-confidence vote and “add chaos to chaos”. Without his mainstream Right-wing party’s support there would not be enough votes to stop the law.
He is the latest politician who supports the reforms to face threats and intimidation from increasingly angry and hardened protesters. The pension reform bill would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 and require 43 years of work to access a full state pension.
On Thursday, an MP from Mr Macron’s party made a formal request with the ministry of interior for police protection for deputies under threat.
Agnes Evren, Republican party vicepresident, also shared a screen grab of threats that evoked the guillotine for both her and Mr Ciotti.
“I am now receiving death threats. These extremists refuse debate, have no respect for their political adversaries,” she tweeted yesterday. “Do not underestimate the danger any longer. Every threat of this type will now be the subject of a complaint.”
As Mr Ciotti woke up to news of broken windows yesterday, a Renaissance MP also woke up to find a spray painted picture of a hanged man and the words “Denial of democracy” at his office in Vincennes, a suburb east of Paris.
Police are investigating after Renaissance deputy Brigitte Klinkert’s office in the north-eastern town of Colmar was tagged with: “You vote against us, we will remember.”
Polling from Ifop shows Mr Macron’s approval ratings have plummeted to 28 per cent, levels not seen since the Yellow Vest crisis in 2019. The survey was carried out before the government pushed through the bill on Thursday.