Associate professor of economics at the hec business school. lovely to see you. so, here we are, another day of disruption ahead which is going to be extremely difficult to manage. it was so violent in the last few weeks, your thoughts? well, this time around few weeks, your thoughts? well, this time around it few weeks, your thoughts? well, this time around it seems - few weeks, your thoughts? well, this time around it seems that. this time around it seems that it is going to be milder. one litmus test is how many teachers, for example, are planning to strike. it is done by ten percentage points to 20%. the traffic on the perigean metro has gotten way better than last time. also on the railways so judging better than last time. also on the railways sojudging by these metrics the strike is going to be less widely, less impact. he however still you are going to see a lot of people who are going to protest. people who are going to protest-
For another day of disruption with widespread strike action. the french government narrowly survived a vote of no confidence this week which was triggered when it forced through an increase in the pension age to 64. today france s eight trade union federations have called for employees to walk out for a nationwide day of strikes and protests in response to these latest developments. let s remind ourselves what president macron said: there are not 100 solutions if we want the pension system to be balanced. it no longer is in the more we wait worse it will get. so this reform is necessary and i say this to the french people, i do not enjoy doing this and would prefer not to but it is also because of the sense of responsibility. joining me now is tomasz michalski, associate professor of economics at the hec business school in paris. good morning to you. another difficult day ahead for you all in france where disruption will be happening. despite president
But unions want more due to rising inflation. let s go live to paris now and talk to tomasz michalski associate professor of economics at the hec business school in paris. we spoke about these injanuary but they are still continuing into march. but they are still continuing into march. , , . , , into march. the public support is there for into march. the public support is there for the into march. the public support is there for the strike - into march. the public support is there for the strike action. | is there for the strike action. public support is there and we will see how it goes after this lasts for two or three days. the public is a little resigned, they still majority believe the reform will pass, it is going through a regular standard parliamentary procedure and it seems that the government can adopt it. so
Professor at the hec business school in paris, where you are in paris expected to be thousands and thousands in the streets today? in the streets today? that s correct. in the streets today? that s correct, over in the streets today? that s correct, over the in the streets today? that s correct, over the entire - correct, over the entire country it is expected we will have something between 600 to 800,000 protesters, so we will see one of the measures of how successful the strike is as the number oh protesting. a gauge of how effective public support and opposing this reformers. if you see numbers above i reformers. if you see numbers abovei million, the labour unions and family will have a success, if they are below 600,000 or half a million, that is going to show a lukewarm hand to the opposition. if is going to show a lukewarm hand to the opposition. if we
But to ensure the recovery last, france has also committed to a massive investment programme. it will focus on areas such as clean energy and green public transport projects. green public transport prejects- green public transport ro ects. , . ., , projects. the sectors most affected by projects. the sectors most affected by the projects. the sectors most affected by the pandemic i projects. the sectors most - affected by the pandemic crisis were industry, construction, tourism culture. so, it was the main focus in the short run. but with this long run, public investment, other activities will benefit. will benefit. covid recovery has already will benefit. covid recovery has already cost will benefit. covid recovery has already cost france - will benefit. covid recovery - has already cost france dearly. public finances under strain. in the run up to the election, all candidates set up their recipes for future spending. now, those that remain have to convince the public that t