France

Proposed pension reforms, which would increase the minimum retirement age for entitlement to a full pension from 62 to 64 by 2030, have sparked mass demonstrations and strikes organised by trade unions. The bill also stipulates that people must have worked for at least 43 years (instead of 42 years) before they can claim their pension, increases the minimum pension for low-income workers, and includes early retirement carve-outs for specific categories of workers. The reforms seek to ensure the pension system can be financially balanced in view of an aging population, according to the Renaissance party who proposed the legislation. The bill has been roundly criticised by the opposition, and has been put up for debate in the National Assembly, relying on tenuous support from the conservative Les Républicains party. The bill would make it more difficult for people who paused their careers to study or re-train to claim their pension.

Protests Social Group Equality Basic Welfare Trade Union Strike

Race-related crimes have been on the rise in recent years, according to statistics from the French Ministry of Interior, recording more than 12,500 racist, xenophobic or anti-religious attacks in 2021 across France. Kurdish demonstrators and anti-racism activists gathered in Paris in response to the murder of three members of the Kurdish community in December. These victims were shot dead at a Kurdish cultural centre by a man who had been charged with violence against migrants. The protesters clashed with the police after the attack, leading to arrests and injuries.

Migration Personal Integrity and Security Freedom of Association and Assembly Police Accountability