Voice of America
18 Mar 2023, 16:06 GMT+10
French President Emmanuel Macron is moving forward with a controversial plan to reform the country's pension system without a parliamentary vote, as protests continue across the country and opposition parties prepare to call a no-confidence vote Friday.
Macron on Thursday used a constitutional power to pass legislation raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary vote.
The Senate passed the bill Thursday, but right-wing politicians in the National Assembly opposed the measure, which meant the bill did not have enough votes.
Two-thirds of French voters oppose the pension overhaul, according to polls.
Strikes protesting the reform have been staged around the country since January, affecting trains, schools, public services and ports. Thousands of protesters demonstrated outside Parliament on Thursday.
"I feel like I'm being cheated as a citizen," said 55-year-old teacher Laure Cartelier.
Unions have called for another day of protest around the country for next Thursday.
A rolling strike by municipal garbage collectors in Paris who oppose the pension reform has resulted in mounds of trash, which have attracted rats and disgusted tourists.
Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Get a daily dose of Paris Guardian news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Paris Guardian.
More InformationCHEYENNE, Wyoming: A Wyoming bill outlawing the use or prescription of medication abortion pills, which was passed by the state's ...
DENVER, Colorado: The Southern Nevada Water Authority has voted to accept a $2.4 million grant from the US Bureau of ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The US government has reported that the exceptionally wet winter in California this year will offer relief from ...
FRANKFURT, GERMANY: Authorities said that as part of a crackdown on gangs suspected of blowing up ATM machines and stealing ...
BERLIN, Germany: Germany will send a cabinet minister to visit Taiwan next week, at a time when Berlin is reviewing ...
ZURICH, Switzerland - Depositors will be fully protected, shareholders will have their equity dwarfed, while bond holders will be largely ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The US State Department has issued a travel warning regarding dangerous fake pills sold at pharmacies in Mexico, ...
FRANKFURT, Germany: The German Automobilwoche magazine has reported that as part of its efforts to switch to selling electric vehicles ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rallied on Monday following the weekend buy-in of Credit Suisse by UBS, which ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The US Federal Reserve Bank has announced that cash-strapped banks throughout the US borrowed some $300 billion during ...
BEIJING, China: Following the inability of China Huarong Asset Management Co Ltd to release financial reporting obligations in 2020, China ...
ZURICH, Switzerland - Depositors will be fully protected, shareholders will have their equity dwarfed, while bond holders will be largely ...