‘Hands Off Our Pensions!’: Thousands Reject 65 Retirement Age in Mauritius

Under a scorching sun on Saturday, the streets of Port-Louis erupted in defiance as thousands of Mauritian workers, retirees, and youth united in a massive protest against the government’s controversial plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 65.

The demonstration, spearheaded by an unprecedented coalition of trade unions, sent a clear message: “Pa tous nou pension!” (“Hands off our pensions!”).

Chanting slogans like “60 ans, nou drwa sa!” (“60 years is our right!”) and “BLD!”—a once anti-MSM rallying cry now turned against the current government—protesters flooded the capital.

The march, stretching from Champ de Mars to Jardin de la Compagnie, drew a diverse crowd: elderly pensioners leaning on canes, young families, and even children holding signs reading “Respect our grandparents!”

At the heart of the outrage? A perceived betrayal. “This government promised change, but now they’re stealing our future,” shouted Radhakrishna Sadien of the State and Other Employees Federation. “If they want to change the rules, let them call a referendum!”

Retirement: Tax the Rich Instead

Trade union leaders minced no words. Atma Shanto (FTU) accused the government of sidelining workers: “They formed committees on pension targeting without consulting us. This is secrecy, not democracy.”

Reeaz Chuttoo (CTSP), rallying the crowd in a red union shirt, declared, “Ashok Subron [Social Security Minister] is now a puppet of capitalists. We won’t sit at their tables—the streets are ours!”

The backlash wasn’t just ideological but deeply personal. “After all we’ve sacrificed for this country, must we beg for our pensions at 65?” cried Ajagee, a retiree. Nearby, 20-year-old Kashmira, draped in the Mauritian flag, argued, “Tax the rich instead of robbing the elderly!”

The protest exposed raw political wounds. Former MSM ministers, including ex-PM Pravind Jugnauth, were met with icy disdain when they attempted to join the march.

“Zot pe rod rol!” (“They’re just seeking relevance!”) yelled a unionist, while Yogita Baboo, an unemployed Air Mauritius worker, scoffed, “They ignored us in power—now they want our solidarity?”

Even Adrien Duval (PMSD) faced heckling over politicians’ perks. “I don’t receive a Speaker’s pension,”he insisted, but the crowd demanded systemic reform.

Government Under Fire

Critics blasted the reform as a “neoliberal assault” pushed by international lenders like the IMF. Vasant Bunwaree, former Finance Minister, urged a freeze: “This decision is economically reckless and morally unjust. The government must listen!”

Jane Ragoo (CTSP) warned of escalating resistance: “This is just the first march. We won’t let them dismantle our rights.”

Sources: Defi Media, l’Express