The news coverage on marches against the reform of pensions between lie and lie-in

News Analysis.- What is the subtle difference between mobilization and determination? About the demonstrations which took place on october 28th against the law changing the retirement age, what could explain mobilization may decrease while, at the same time, determination may stay stable? Logically, the quantitative importance of a demonstration depend on the resoluteness some persons have to demonstrate. We don't gather to march if we are not conviced of the necessity to do so.

But, according to the medias of Angers, this is possible, even if, between the marches before and during the Toussaint holidays, the number of demonstrators decrease up to 50%. This may confirm the own interest of the press to keep pressure on the social forces opposed to the law. This interest coud have two origins. First, many editors are not neutral face to the reform and their professionnal trade union didn't hide its opposition to the change. Secondly, demonstrations are always a dramatic event who can help to increase the sales of newspapers issues.

So, quite frequently, the treatment of that sort of events is guided more by corporatist reactions than concern of objectivity. A testimony published on the following day reveals the link between determination and mobilization. Interviewed about his assiduity to demonstrate on saturday, a worker of a state entreprise told he didn't come because "From time to time, it's good to lie-in"...