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In his New Year's address, French President Macron announced a series of measures designed to address the crisis in the interests of the ruling class. Macron had already announced in 2017 that he would raise the retirement age by three years to 65. These measures are intended to close a deficit of 12 billion euros in pension funds. However, the plans for such an increase had led to weeks of protests and strikes, which is why they were not initially pushed through.
Now, however, the French president wants to do the job properly and has announced that this "pension reform" will finally be introduced in the summer of 2023.
The extension of working time is to be accompanied by other measures affecting unemployment insurance and the basic RSA insurance. The unemployment benefit is to be made dependent in the future on the unemployment rate and to decrease by up to 40% if it lies under 6%. In general, the duration of benefits is to be shortened. Basic benefits are to be tied to 15-20 hours of work per week, initially in some regions.
As part of a "training reform," trainees are to have a longer practical training period combined with shorter school times in the future. In concrete terms, this means cheaper labor for the bosses with poorer quality training.
The French unions announced protests against these measures, especially against the "pension reform". Closing the deficits in the pension fund should not be a problem, since 157 billion was loosened up for large companies in the Corona pandemic. Already in his last term, Macron faced the Yellow Vest movement, which fought resolutely against his policies in the streets. The French masses have certainly not forgotten these successful struggles.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

Norway

Comrades from Tjen Folket Media report that multiple actions have been carried out around the country to mark the foundation of the International Communist League.

On the occasion of 26 December 2022 - the 129th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Mao - comrades in Chile made an impressive mural in a neighbourhood of the capital Santiago. We hereby want to reproduce some pictures published by the Chilean comrades of the revolutionary newspaper El Pueblo.

 

On 23 December 2022, a suspected French fascist carried out an armed attack on the Ahmet Kaya Kurdish cultural centre in Paris, killing three people and injuring three others, some seriously.

We are publishing an unofficial translation of an article by the comrades of El Pueblo from Chile.

Our collaborators have sent us photos of graffiti and posters that have appeared in recent days in various rural areas of the Ñuble region, with slogans such as "seasonal workers to fight" and "land for those who work it". This uproar is taking place in the middle of the main harvest season in the fields of the region, where various mobilisations are taking place.

We are publishing a report of actions held in Norway that have been send to us:

A Dazibao were hung in Berlin-Marzahn to mark today's 129th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Mao. We publish photos that were sent to us.