Opinion polls show a substantial majority of the French oppose increasing the retirement age to 64 from 62, a move Macron says is “vital” to ensuring the viability of the pension system.
The French Interior ministry said that a total of 1.272 million people took part in the protests nationwide, up slightly from the first nationwide demonstration on Jan 19. In Paris, a total of 87,000 people marched, compared to 80,000 on Jan. 19, it added.
“It’s better than on the 19th. … It’s a real message sent to the government, saying we don’t want the 64 years,” Laurent Berger, who leads CFDT, France’s largest union, said ahead of the Paris march.
Union leaders at a joint news conference at the end of the march said they would organise more strikes and demonstrations against the reform on Feb. 7 and 11.
Marching behind banners reading “No to the reform” or “We won’t give up,” many said they would take to the streets as often as needed…
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