Riot police guard the Constitutional Council building during a demonstration against pension reform in central Paris, France, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. French unions are held strikes and protests on Thursday against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform, seeking to maintain pressure on the government before a ruling on the law’s constitutionality.
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France’s Constitutional Council on Friday approved President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial raising of the retirement age, as nationwide protests rumbled on.
The council passed the core of the pension reforms, including the increase in the retirement age for most workers from 62 to 64, but removed six additional provisions as had been expected.
It also rejected a bid to hold a citizens’ referendum on the changes.
Macron said he would sign the bill into law within the next 48 hours, French news channel BFM TV reported.
“The text is coming to the end of its democratic process. Tonight, there is no winner or loser,” French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said in a statement.
Long traffic jams formed in cities including Marseille during the day and crowds were gathered around the country to hear the court decision. Protesters made their way into the headquarters of luxury goods giant LVMH and lit smoke flares on Thursday — the same day the company’s share price reached a fresh record high, following the release of its first-quarter results.
A procession of students shouting opposition slogans with a sign reading ”Macron guillotine? Yes maybe” during a demonstration where for the twelfth time in 3 months, several thousand people, employees and students, demonstrated in the streets of Paris.
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“The Constitutional Council decision shows that it is more attentive to the needs of the presidential monarchy than to those of the sovereign people. The fight continues and must gather its forces,” said Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the leftist La France…
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