The full garbage bags, boxes and overflowing dumpsters spread the foul smell of rotting food.
(Photo: dpa)
Paris Even in the normally spruced up tourist spots in Paris, the dirt is visible: black sacks of rubbish are piled up on sidewalks within sight of the Eiffel Tower, and the garbage cans are overflowing. Around 7,000 tons of waste are waiting in the French capital to be picked up by the street cleaners. But nobody comes.
Garbage collection in Paris is taking part in the strikes against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms – and has the backing of Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The socialist, who wanted to become French president herself in 2022 but failed miserably in the election, does not want to be seen as a scab.
The mayor has ruled since 2014 with a promise to make the capital greener, with fewer cars and more parks. These days, however, Paris seems more like a landfill in some areas. The few employees who aren’t on strike can barely keep up with the cleaning – and concentrate as much as possible on areas in the city center.
Garbage collection workers have been on strike for ten days now, and anger at Hidalgo is growing. France’s Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune, who also represents a constituency in Paris, accused the mayor of inaction. “The problem is not that the garbage collectors are on strike, but that Anne Hidalgo is on strike,” he told France 2.
For Beaune, the piles of rubbish and the associated rat infestation are becoming a “public health” issue. Macron’s confidante, who is said to have ambitions for the office of Paris mayor in the next local elections in 2026, criticized: “The capital has become one big open-air garbage can.”
The garbage emergency puts the mayor of Paris in distress.
(Photo: Reuters)
On Tuesday, union representatives from the refuse collection department said they would continue the strike until at least March 20. The only one of the four waste incineration plants in the Paris area that is still running is completely overloaded.
France’s Ministry of the Interior intervened
According to a report by the BFM news channel, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin contacted Hidalgo in person on Tuesday evening. In a phone call, Darmanin asked the mayor to oblige the city cleaning staff to work. In addition, the minister instructed the capital’s police prefecture to campaign for a garbage disposal service in the city hall.
Legally, city employees can be obliged to work despite a strike, but the decision on this rests with the mayor. Hidalgo could also hire a private company to clean up the streets.
Should Hidalgo resist the Interior Ministry’s requests, it is conceivable that the state, via the police prefecture, will force the garbage collector to operate – to maintain public order.
>> Read here: The protesters against Macron’s pension reform are fighting the wrong fight – one comment
Hidalgo is keen to stand firmly with the protests against Macron’s pension law. “This social movement has my total and complete support,” said the socialist, shifting responsibility to Macron’s center alliance. “I say to the government: First of all, discuss among yourself and try to understand what these people are trying to tell you. And then we talk afterwards.”
The mayor of Paris has so far refused to force the striking garbage collectors to work.
(Photo: dpa)
The attitude in Paris City Hall is that the capital is also a “victim of this situation” that was triggered by Macron’s reform. “We are doing our best to deal with this situation created by the government,” said Hidalgo’s deputy Emmanuel Grégoire.
Pension reform jeopardizes special rules for garbage disposal workers
In addition, it is pointed out in Hidalgo’s environment that the employees of the garbage disposal would suffer particularly from the reform. They do physically demanding work and therefore have a shorter life expectancy. It is therefore unfair to send her into retirement later.
>> Read here: Despite the wave of strikes, Macron remains on course with his pension reform
Garbage remains on the streets to protest Macron’s pension reform.
(Photo: IMAGO/ITAR-TASS)
The background to the strikes and protests that have been paralyzing France for weeks is Macron’s plan to raise the general statutory retirement age from 62 to 64. In addition, the President also wants to change special rules for certain professional groups – including garbage disposal employees.
So far, you can retire at the age of 57. Should the reform be implemented, her age limit would increase to 59 years. Macron’s law is currently being discussed in parliament, and the National Assembly and Senate could pass it this week. A narrow majority for the reform is considered likely, but not yet secured.
More: Despite the wave of strikes, Macron remains on course with his pension reform