Why are the French rioting? Q&A on the chaos in Paris as King Charles cancels visit to France
Protests across France have continued for a tenth day as civilians and workers demonstrate against Emmanuel Macron’s proposed pension reforms.
Events have become increasingly unsightly, with the Bordeaux town hall torched last night. Violent demonstrations have also taken place in Paris, where tear gas was fired.
President Macron has criticized the actions of “violent armed activists” in response to the increase in civil unrest.
King Charles’ trip to Paris and Bordeaux was scheduled to start on Sunday but was postponed following violent protests in both cities.
So why are the French rebelling? Why have protests across the country turned violent? Read below everything you need to know.
Nearly a million people were reported to have taken to the streets on Thursday, protesting against Macron.
Why are there protests in France?
The French population protests against a pension reform proposal by Macron.
This reform would increase the retirement age in France from 62 to 64 years.
It would also force workers to contribute to the pension system for longer, since state pensions in the country are financed by a payroll tax.
Tensions have risen with each passing day in France, with Bordeaux town hall torched by protesters last night (March 23).
Why have the protests turned violent?
Macron has slowly lost public support and discontent among opposing politicians has reached its peak.
This is because he invoked special presidential powers (article 49.3) to approve the reforms in the National Assembly without the approval of the opposition.
Macron leads under the centrist Renaissance party, but rival left-wing parties sang the French national anthem in protest when he went to speak in the National Assembly last week.
Since then, the president has refused to back down from his proposed pension reforms, prompting protesters to resort to violence to make themselves heard.
What has Macron said in response to the riots?
In his latest response to scenes in Paris and Bordeaux, Macron declared that police have been the victim of “totally disproportionate” acts at the hands of “violent armed activists.”
Macron is determined to remain defiant in the face of the riots despite surviving a recent vote of no confidence.
A million people were reported to have taken to the streets to protest across the country on Thursday.
Why are the French public complaining about pension reforms?
The public is not just angry at Macron for raising the retirement age.
The act of passing a law in the National Assembly without approval has been perceived as undemocratic, and civilians are determined to have their voices heard in response.
Civilians and workers also argue that if you are using Article 49.3 to raise the retirement age now, there is nothing to stop you from doing so again in the future.
Charles and Camilla were due to travel to Paris and Bordeaux as part of a state visit to France.
Why did Charles postpone his visit to Paris?
The French and British governments made a joint decision to postpone the King’s visit to protect his safety.
Security fears rose after protests against pension reforms proposed by President Emmanuel Macron turned violent.
When will Charles’ visit to Paris continue?
Charles’ state visit was canceled at short notice, so a new date for the trip has yet to be announced.
King Carlos III and Camila, the queen consort, had to travel to Berlin. It is not yet clear if they will.
With Charles’ coronation ceremony scheduled for May 6, the royal family has a busy schedule.
Why did Carlos visit Paris in the first place?
Charles was due to attend a series of events in Bordeaux and Paris, including a speech in the Senate, the upper house of the French parliament.
Protesters had already threatened to target the royal couple, saying they are not welcome in the republic during a period of social chaos.
Beyond the riots, the protests against Macron in France included the accumulation of some 10,000 tons of rubbish on the streets of Paris after garbage collectors removed their work.
Rubbish has piled up on the streets of Paris as garbage collectors went on strike to protest against the reforms.
What does the French press say about the cancellation of Charles’ trip?
France has endured a turbulent ten days since protests against Macron’s proposed reforms began.
As a result, much of the country’s recent media coverage has focused on the protests.
However, there is a feeling that the postponement of King Charles’s visit to the country has heightened Macron’s current situation.
What did Macron say about Charles’ visit? What has he said since he postponed?
Speaking at a news conference after a summit in Brussels, Macron said postponing the visit was a matter of maintaining “common sense and friendship.”
Macron warned that, had he gone ahead, Charles’s visit “would have caused incidents.”
Emmanuel Macron has endured a torrid past ten days since announcing his pension reform proposal to the French public.
What was Charles’s schedule for the trip?
Highlights of the historic tour included Charles and Camilla joining their French hosts, President Macron and his wife, Brigitte, for a wreath-laying and remembrance ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe.
Later, the quartet would be part of a procession down the Champs-Élysées towards the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president.
Camilla and Madame Macron were due to officially open the new Manet and Degas exhibition at the Musee d’Orsay while Charles gave a speech from the Senate chamber.
The King and Queen Consort were also due to visit Bordeaux, the center of the wine region and home to many British expatriates.
They were going to visit an organic vineyard and Charles would have met the emergency workers who tackled the bushfires on the outskirts of the city last summer.
What happened to the French royal family?
In the aftermath of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine in 1793.
Although the monarchy was restored after his death, Louis-Philippe I abdicated the throne in 1848, paving the way for the creation of the Second French Republic.
France remains a Republic to this day and has not had a monarch since.
The protests against the pension reforms proposed by President Emmanuel Macron have entered a tenth day
When was the last time Charles visited France?
Charles last visited France, with Camilla also present, in 2019.
During the visit, the royal couple attended services in the French city of Bayeux to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
When was the last time the Queen visited France?
Queen Elizabeth II last visited France in 2014, arriving at the Gare du Nord in Paris aboard a Eurostar service.
He also enjoyed a State Banquet at the Élysée Palace during his stay.