Around the world, retirement is a distant concept for many young people. People have too much on their plate dealing with concerns like unemployment and global warming to start considering pensions.
Anti-reform protests have taken place all throughout France since French President Emmanuel Macron announced his intentions to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 in January. And young people have assumed more leadership roles.
Some young people are worried about Macron’s reform, but many claim they are protesting in the streets because they are unhappy in general.
Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, a political expert, reaffirmed this notion: “There is a connection to be drawn with the May 68 [protests] since in 1968 we had an old president, De Gaulle, who mattered to an older age, but not to the young generation. The same is true of Emmanuel Macron; he is the leader of the past.
In the second round of the 2022 presidential election, 59.2% of voters aged 18 to 24 supported Macron, but 41% of them opted not to cast a ballot at all. Not to be forgotten are individuals who were not of voting age in the previous election.
Numerous young demonstrators also think they are defending their right to have an impact on political decisions. President Macron used article 49.3 of the French constitution to circumvent parliament and pass his reform, which opponents see as a threat to democracy. While the administration argues that their strategy was appropriate and essential, some believe Macron is taking an increasingly dictatorial approach.
It’s also true that young people, who typically don’t have families or full-time employment, frequently have less to lose while protesting. The risks are, however, increasing as the anti-reform demonstrations turn violent.
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