Protests break out in France and Spain over retirement reform, health care

KARAH RUCKER: FRANCE AND SPAIN ARE SEEING MASSIVE PROTESTS BREAK OUT AS PEOPLE EXPRESS THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WITH FRANCE’S REFORM TO ITS RETIREMENT PLAN AND SPAIN’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

960,000 PROTESTERS IN SOLIDARITY

WE’LL BEGIN IN FRANCE WHERE NEARLY ONE MILLION PEOPLE ARE NOW TAKING PART IN ONGOING PROTESTS OVER THE COUNTRY’S PENSION REFORM ACCORDING TO THE INTERIOR MINISTRY.

THE GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE FROM 62 TO 64 AS PART OF THE REFORM AND RESIDENTS ARE SHOWING THEIR OPPOSITION TO IT AS FIERY DISPLAYS BROKE OUT IN THE STREETS.

UNIONS FOR AIRPORT AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES ARE ORGANIZING STRIKES IN RESPONSE THAT ARE ALREADY IMPACTING MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS.

THE GOVERNMENT SO FAR NOT BACKING DOWN ON TRYING TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALTER RETIREMENT BENEFITS.

SPAIN’S HEALTH SYSTEM SCRUTINIZED

THEN IN NEIGHBORING SPAIN…IT’S THEIR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT IS BEING SCRUTINIZED BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS.

OVER THE WEEKEND, STREETS BLANKETED WITH PROTESTERS HOLDING SIGNS AND MARCHING THROUGH MADRID.

THE WORKERS ACCUSE SPAIN’S GOVERNMENT OF DISMANTLING THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO FAVOR THE PRIVATE HEALTH SECTOR.