radically, Paris has been considered the city of lovedue to the beauty of its most notable buildings, such as the Torre Eiffel o Notre Dame, its restaurants, or for having been the scene of numerous novels and films. A very romantic destination that every year receives millions of tourists looking to enjoy unforgettable moments in the French capital.
However, lately this city, so often portrayed as a dream place, offers a very different aspect. So much so that instead of being the city of love or The city of light, another of the nicknames it receives, has become the city of smell An experience that, of course, is not what most people imagine when planning a trip to Paris.
As reported by AFP, the reason for this change is a workers’ strikeof garbage that is already over two weeks long. The country as a whole is at war with the Macron government over its controversy pension reform and its consequences are increasingly perceptible.
And one of the most visible are the piles of uncollected garbage that accumulate in Parisian streets and boulevards. On March 17, the figure already exceeded 10,000 tonswhich has modified the beauty of the city roads and has left apersistent bad smellin addition to increasing the risk of disease.
The authorities are pressing for a return to work, since this situation seriously endangers essential services, but at the moment the agreement is not close, so alternatives are being studied to avoid a public health emergency. has been valued call the Army to empty the streets, but everything will depend on how long the protest lasts.
Public employees started the strike because the pension reform is going to force them to work until the age of 59, instead of the 57 of now. They guarantee the collection of approximately half of the 20 districts of the capital, while the rest is in the hands of private companies.
The latter have continued to carry out their work and have even signed contracts toclean up part of the streets in worse condition in the affected areas, but the truth is that at the moment they cannot cope and the problem continues to grow, leaving an image of Paris very different from the usual one.
A controversial reform
The pension reform promoted by Emmanuel Macron has caused the biggest political and social crisis in recent years in France. His government has raised the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 years and 43 years of work are necessary to be able to collect the full pension. If it is not met, the amount to be collected will be reduced or you will have to work until you are 67 years old.
In France, a country where its society has always been highly mobilized by your rights and freedoms, This decision has caused massive demonstrations, protests and strikes and the Executive has been challenged with several motions of censure which have left him very weak.
We will see if popular pressure bears fruit or if Macron once again resists this challenge, as he did with the yellow vests protest and strengthen his position. Whether one or the other happens, let’s hope that Paris will once again be known for its beauty and its romanticism and not because of its pestilence.