The Paris HQ of luxury brand Louis Vuitton was stormed by angry demonstrators protesting against Emmanuel Macron’s planned pension reforms.
More than 100 protesters were seen in the wood-panelled entrance hall of the building that is home to Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton which is commonly known as the LVMH group.
“If you’re looking for money to finance pensions, take it from the pockets of billionaires,” said Fabien Villedieu, a representative of the Sud Rail union said, stressing that the protest was “symbolic and peaceful.”
France‘s unions have been staging strikes and marches since mid-January in protest against President Macron’s plans to raise the legal retirement age.
On Thursday there were more demonstrations as trade unions urged a show of force on the streets a day before the Constitutional Council’s ruling on the legality of the bill to raise the retirement age by two years to 64.
The government says it is necessary to raise it for most workers to balance the pension budget in years to come. The unions say the money can be found elsewhere.
Critics have challenged the government's choice to include the pension plan in a budget bill, which significantly accelerated the legislative process. The government's decision to skirt a parliamentary vote by using special constitutional powers transformed opponents' anger into fury.
Polls consistently show a majority of French people are opposed to the pension reform.
LVMH’s billionaire Chairman and Chief Executive Bernard Arnault has been a frequent target in slogans and chants during protests in France.
The firm has benefited from a post-pandemic rebound in demand for luxury goods, and its shares have risen nearly 26% since the start of this year, cementing its lead as Europe’s most valuable company.
