April 2023
12Apr

France. Macron hit by pension protests on Dutch state visit

Protesters disrupted a keynote speech by Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday as his domestic troubles cast a shadow over the first state visit to the Netherlands by a French president in 23 years. Demonstrators shouted "Where is French democracy?" and unfurled banners at the start of the address in The Hague by Macron, who has faced violent protests and strikes at home over pensions reforms. The French president is confronting the biggest challenge of his second term over his flagship pension overhaul,...

April 12, 2023
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05Apr

French unions to keep up pensions protest after talks with PM fail

France's labour unions will keep up their fight against a planned rise of the legal retirement age, they said on Wednesday, after a meeting with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne failed to end months of gridlock over a deeply unpopular reform. Wednesday's talks were the first high-stakes meeting between the government of President Emmanuel Macron and union bosses since nationwide protests and strikes against the legislation started in mid-January. The talks, ahead of a new day of walkouts and marches planned for...

April 5, 2023
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04Apr

Pension reform in France: How can President Macron get out of the crisis?

After more than two months of nationwide protests, French President Emmanuel Macron faces backlash from voters for his inflexibility on pension reforms. Nearly all of France's trade unions have agreed to meet the country's prime minister, Elizabeth Borne, this week as they prepare for an eleventh day of strike action on Thursday. But according to political scientist Bruno Palier, author of the book 'Reforming pensions', the government needs a "change in strategy". "This meeting is very important", he told Euronews. "It...

April 4, 2023
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March 2023
31Mar

The economic — and political — consequences of reforming France’s pensions

Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron followed through on his long-touted promise to reform the country’s pension system, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. How he did it though — essentially forcing the legislation through without a vote in the lower house of parliament — hit a nerve. Since then, over a million people have taken to the streets across France; social media has been filled with images of uncollected garbage piling on the streets of Paris...

March 31, 2023
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29Mar

French unions vow further protests on 10th general strike against Macron’s pension plans

French unions vowed to continue demonstrations next week amid another day of protests Tuesday against French President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reforms — the 10th general strike this year. Clashes broke out between small groups of protesters and police, especially in Paris, where some people also ransacked a supermarket. But the number of protesters also decreased almost everywhere in the country compared to last week, according to estimates by both French authorities and unions. Around 730,000 people protested in total,...

March 29, 2023
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24Mar

French visit by Britain’s King Charles postponed due to pension protests

A visit to France by King Charles III, due to start on Sunday, has been postponed at the request of President Emmanuel Macron because of ongoing protests over pension reform. There has been widespread violence and unions have called a national day of protest on Tuesday. The French presidency said the postponement was decided after a call between Macron and the king on Friday morning. "Given the announcement yesterday of another national day of protests against pension reform on Tuesday March...

March 24, 2023
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23Mar

France. Emmanuel Macron holds firm on pensions reform amid protests

Emmanuel Macron, France president, defended his unpopular plan to raise the retirement age on Wednesday as being key to repairing the public finances but acknowledged public anger over his government’s decision to pass the law without a parliamentary vote. “Do you think I enjoy doing this reform? No,” said Macron in a televised interview. “But there are not a hundred ways to balance the accounts . . . this reform is not a luxury or a pleasure, it’s a necessity for the country.” Read also...

March 23, 2023
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21Mar

France’s government survives no-confidence votes as pension reforms move ahead

Parliament adopted a divisive pension bill Monday raising the retirement age in France from 62 to 64, after lawmakers in the lower chamber rejected two no-confidence votes against the government. But the bill pushed through by President Emmanuel Macron without lawmakers' approval still faces a review by the Constitutional Council before it can be signed into law. The council has the power to reject articles within bills but usually approves them. The first no-confidence motion, proposed by a small centrist group...

March 21, 2023
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17Mar

Macron puts his government at risk with decision to raise the retirement age in France

French President Emmanuel Macron imposed a highly unpopular bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 on Thursday by shunning parliament and invoking a special constitutional power. Lawmakers were shouting, their voices shaking with emotion as Macron made the risky move, which is expected to trigger quick motions of no-confidence in his government. Riot police vans zoomed by outside the National Assembly, their sirens wailing. The proposed pension changes have prompted major strikes and protests across the country since January....

March 17, 2023
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10Mar

French Senate votes to raise retirement age from 62 to 64 amid nationwide strikes

France's Senate voted Thursday to raise the retirement age by two years to 64, as the government moves to overhaul the country's pensions system in the face of strong opposition from labour unions. The conservative-dominated legislative body voted in favour of a decisive article to raise the age of retirement by 201 votes to 115. Debate will resume later on Thursday over a controversial amendment to the bill. The Senate majority is rushing to meet a deadline of midnight Sunday to finalise...

March 10, 2023
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