France Holding Out for April 14

March 31, 2023

Welcome back, Global Recap readers!
Keep your heads up in April, it will truly be an exciting month for sky-watching.

• April 5th: the Pink Moon or the Paschal Moon will light up the night.

• April 15th: Saturn will come within close proximity to the Moon.

• April 20th: there’s a hybrid solar eclipse for the readers in Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Australia.

• April 23rd: the Lyrid Meteor Shower will be at its best with lots of shooting stars.

• April 25th: the moon will pair with Mars, which will look like a glowing red sphere.

This Week’s Top News

• Hungary and Turkey ratify Finland’s NATO bid, leaving Sweden out in the cold.

• Israel PM Netanyahu announces pause to his controversial judicial overhaul, but critics are skeptical of his intentions.

• Taiwan’s President Tsai leaves on a trip to Central America with stopovers in NY and LA. A historic meeting with the US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is scheduled for April 5.

• Honduras breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan, establishing ties with China.

• Taiwan’s former President Ma makes a historic visit to China during heightened global tensions. He is the first Taiwanese leader since the communist revolution (1949) to visit the mainland.

• UN Security Council turns down Russia’s request for Nord Stream inquiry.

France Holding Breath for April 14

France has been through a turbulent week, following the passing of President Macron's pension reform bill, which raises the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Context: To pass the bill, the government invoked Article 49.3 of the French Constitution, allowing them to forcefully enact the bill without a vote in the National Assembly. On March 16, the bill was passed despite the possibility of being repealed by MPs through two no-confidence motions, which ultimately failed.

Where we are: This decision sparked a wave of unrest throughout the country, including the burning of the historic Bordeaux Town Hall and strikes leading to the accumulation of garbage on the streets. Moreover, there were reports of police officers being set on fire, further exacerbating the situation.

Looking ahead: On April 14, the French Constitutional Council, the highest judicial authority in France, is set to issue a ruling on the constitutionality of the pension reform bill.

According to analysts, the ongoing protests are not solely motivated by the content of the bill but are a manifestation of broader public discontent towards the government.