French President Emmanuel Macron urges protesters for Christmas truce

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged his countrymen to observe a truce and suspend strikes before the festive holiday of Christmas. French President has been on an official visit to the Ivory Coast from where he appealed to the protestors to call off their strike as people are suffering because of severe disruptions. Macron said that strike action is part of democracy and is protected by the constitution but there are moments when it is good to call a truce to respect the lives of families.

Read: France On Strike: New Protests In Paris, Negotiations Resume

Macron's call for Christmas truce

Macron's request came during his visit to the Ivory Coast where he was meeting his counterpart Alassane Ouattara in Abdijan. France is seeing the recent wave of yellow vests movement that began in October 2018 and is a populist, grassroots political movement for economic justice. People in France are currently protesting against the government's planned pension reforms, the movement that was initially motivated by the rising fuel prices and tax reforms. 

Read: France: Protests Over Pension Reform Continue, Thousands Swarm Streets In Paris

The protests are causing widespread disruption across France as half of Paris metro lines are shut. Only half the number of high-speed trains available are currently operating in the country, National rail operator SNCF confirmed. Many citizens travelling to different parts of the country to spend holidays with friends and family were left stranded because of cancelled trains and roadblocks. Airline services also suffered from the strike as hundreds of flights have also been cancelled or delayed. 

Read: France: Teachers, Doctors, Eiffel Tower Workers Walk Off As Strikes Enter 13th Day

Over 6,15,000 protestors took to the streets on Tuesday and unions rejected Emmanuel's call for a Christmas truce after inconclusive talks with the government. The "yellow vest" protest that started in France spread to different parts of Europe and as far as Asia. The largest "yellow vest" protest outside France was held in Taipei with over 10,000 people taking part in demonstrations. 

Read: Police Fire Tear Gas In Paris As 'yellow Vest' Protesters Mark First Anniversary