If you are reading this in Nigeria this might be coming as a surprise to you.
A massive nationwide protest took place in Russia today to protest government plans to raise the retirement age.
Government in that country plans to raise the retirement age from 55 to 63 for women and from 60 to 65 for men. But after initial complaints, President Vladimir Putin, in a nationwide address, agreed to some concessions by reducing the new retirement age for women to 63. Yet the public was still enranged and a nationwide protest to resist the plan took place today across Russia.
According to the Guardian, thousands of people across Russia joined protests on Sunday against government plans to raise the pension age, despite recent promises by President Vladimir Putin to soften the unpopular measure.
The protests show that the proposed policy remains a politically sensitive issue for the government despite concessions offered by Putin in a televised address on Wednesday. During the speech, Putin took personal responsibility for the reform for the first time and described it as a financial necessity.
About 9,000 people gathered about a mile and a half from the Kremlin, according to White Counter, an NGO that counts participants at rallies. Moscow police put the numbers at 6,000.
Many carried the red flags and banners of the principal organiser of the protest, the KPRF Communist party.
A large banner reading “We do not trust United Russia”, Putin’s ruling party, was held up by the crowd and featured a drawing of a red fist punching the white polar bear logo of Putin’s party.
“Today we are holding an all-Russia protest against this cannibalistic reform,” veteran Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov said, addressing the crowd.
A separate gathering in the city, organised by the Just Russia party, attracted a further 1,500 people protesting against the pension reforms, Moscow police said.
Source: The Guardian
Lol…. If it were to be in Nigeria, we’ll even beg to increase it to 80 ,Nigerians don’t like to retire
Well , some people don’t like to retire on time, will some want to work forever, una sabi chaa
Lolz! Some Nigerian civil servants are above that proposed age sef yet they won’t retire.
lol…..63 years that the president reduced it to is good oooo, unlike Nigeria which is 60 years old or 30 years of service though they don’t keep to it
Lol…..Naija people no dey like to retire
In Nigeria they will not even think of retirement inoder to give young people chance in office .
They even have option, Nigerians will gladly embrace it .