Following the success of the first general strike on December 5, which mobilized nearly 1 million French people to take to the streets, French trade union forces have called on workers to continue striking throughout last weekend until early this week, before the French Government officially introduces a detailed reform plan on December 11.
In recent days, protests and strikes have seriously impacted and disrupted the lives of many French people, especially in the capital Paris. More than 90% of public transport such as the subway, regional trains and buses have stopped operating, making it almost impossible for people to get to work, some schools have been closed, many flights have been canceled, and the tourism and retail industries are facing a recession during the Christmas holiday. The local business alliance warned that prolonged protests could "kill" many small businesses, while a hotel association said that bookings in Paris had dropped 30-40% on the first day of the strike on December 5.
On December 7, traffic jams around Paris reached a record of more than 600 km. On December 9, protests blocked traffic for 630 km on roads leading into Paris and its surrounding areas. Most of the Paris Metro lines were forced to stop operating completely, causing serious traffic jams that continued on December 10. Only one in five TGV high-speed trains were still running, while Air France announced the cancellation of 25% of its domestic flights on December 10 and 10% of its international flights. Some Paris museums were also forced to partially close, and both opera houses canceled performances.
The heads of the French National Railways and Paris Public Transport have urged people to stay away from train stations, as 90-95% of trains will be cancelled. Many people have been forced to take time off work or work from home, but thousands have had no choice but to squeeze onto overcrowded trains and buses, which have been reduced to the minimum due to the strike.
In order to calm the public's anger, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced: "At noon this Wednesday (December 11), I will announce the entire Government's reform program before the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, where dialogue and mediation take place." At the same time, he also called on the people of this country to wait until the detailed reform program is announced and avoid falling into fake news.
