French President Emmanuel Macron’s government bypassed a parliamentary vote to force through a controversial pension reform law, triggering protests across the country by thousands of people, and clashes between police and demonstrators in Paris for the third night in a row. According to combined reports from Reuters and AFP, the growing social unrest and strike action have made French President Emmanuel Macron face the biggest challenge since the “Gilets Jaunes” movement four years ago.
Demonstrators chanted “Macron, resign!” at Place d’Italie in Paris. After the trash can was set on fire, the riot police used tear gas and clashed with some demonstrators.
The previous night’s demonstrations saw 61 arrests and municipal authorities subsequently banned rallies and marches on the Place de la Concorde and nearby Champ-Elysees in central Paris. 81 people were arrested tonight.
Polls show that about two-thirds of French people oppose pension reform.
According to a poll published by the Journal du Dimanche, Macron’s approval rating plummeted to 28%, the lowest level since the “yellow vest” movement in 2019.
The wildly unpopular pension reform will raise the mandatory retirement age from 62 to 64. The French government says the reform is crucial to ensure the pension system does not go bankrupt.
