Europe “on fire”: the “old continent” in the grip of strikes and demonstrations – Newsbomb – News

Europe is witnessing a wave of strikes and protests due to high energy prices, the high cost of living and the increase in the retirement age in France.

Europeans take to the streets for the umpteenth time, even in Germany, the steam engine of the eurozone, which saw yesterday The biggest strike in recent years in the transportation sector. In France, citizens demonstrate today for the umpteenth time in recent weeks, in response to Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform.

Researchers unleashed an unprecedented global wave of more than 12,500 protests in 148 countries over increases in food, fuel and the cost of living in 2022. The largest were recorded in Western Europe. Food and especially energy prices have skyrocketed first from the COVID-19 pandemic and then from the war in Ukraine. And while food and energy shortages hit hardest in the south, the economic crisis is pushing more and more people onto the streets in the wealthier countries of the northern hemisphere.

Germany

Airports, bus and train stations all over Germany They put a “lock” (27/3) On Monday, he threw millions of citizens into disarray at the start of the working week during the biggest rally in decades as Europe’s largest economy grapples with inflation.

Workers push for higher wages To mitigate the effects of inflation, which reached 9.3% in February. Germany, which was heavily dependent on Russia for natural gas before the war in Ukraine, has been particularly hard hit by the price hike Trying to find new sources of energyInflation rates have exceeded the eurozone average in recent months.

France

the President Emmanuel Macron He said he would press ahead with reforms in France, fending off powerful union calls for a suspension of a new retirement law that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64, amid the country’s worst street violence in years.

Weeks-old pension protests turned violent after Macron’s government, lacking a clear majority, “passed” the legislation through parliament without a vote. Invoking a republican decree.

The industrial action that disrupted French refineries caused fuel shortages at some service stations, which also affected liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, power supplies and maintenance of nuclear reactors.

Britain

The British launched a “dance” of European strikes a few weeks ago with the British government embroiled in wage disputes across sectors as workers demand higher wages to keep up with rising inflation, with strikes at schools, railways and hospitals. Regularly.

security personnel in London Heathrow Airport They voted to strike for 10 days, the union declared Unite. More than 1,400 employees will participate in the strike.

More than 3,000 British civil servants work in four government departments They will strike from April 11thThe Confederation of Public and Commercial Services (PCS) declared a dispute over salaries, pensions, and job security.