25^th March 2023 

The Communist Party of Ireland expresses its solidarity with the French working class and with all those involved in the mass struggles to defend their rights and social advances against the anti-worker decree of PresidentMacronto raise the retirement age to 64 years. 

Due to the strong and well organised resistance of the French working class, President Macrondeliberatelybypassed the National Assembly where he did not havethe necessary votes to approve and secure his pension reform. The Macron government decided to activate a constitutional mechanism that allows it to bypass parliamentary approval. 

This was a clear attempt to override all democratic mechanisms to impose the interests of the French ruling class. The French government and state is clearly ignoring the mass resistance of workers and the clear popular rejection of Macron’s reform strategy. This strategy, at its heart, is to break the French working class and to roll back social advances won through decades of struggle, in the interests of French capitalism, both large and small capitalists. 

Not alone has the French President circumvented the National Assembly, but he has unleashed the full violence of the state apparatus to smash the French working class; however,to date, French workers continue to resistdespite the mass repression. 

The Communist Party of Ireland expresses our solidarity with all those trade unions who have mobilised to defend workers’ rights,in particular we express our profound solidarity with the CGT and all French communists in this epic struggle. No doubt, across the European Union, ruling class forces will be watching and preparing renewed attacks on workers’ rights. Therefore, it is incumbent on all workers and their trade unions to show solidarity with the French working class. 

If the French state and its ruling class secure victory, this will onlyemboldenthe ruling classes across Europe to step up their attacks, including here in Ireland, on workers’ rights,terms and conditions. 

We call upon Irish trade unions to rally in defence of the French working class. To send a message of solidarity, as well as material assistance, to those resisting the reform strategy of the Macron government.

An injury to one is the concern of all!