French reforms: Macron refuses to give way as pension protests escalate

In the face of nationwide protests and two no-confidence votes, French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his decision to push through an increase in the pension age with a resolute attitude.

Radical transformation is a need, he stressed, not a luxury or a pleasure. The government’s use of constitutional authority to drive through reforms without a vote in the National Assembly has emboldened protesters.

On Thursday, there will be a ninth round of nationwide strikes and demonstrations. Several locations have seen hundreds of arrests over the course of six nights of protests.

Bins that were left overflowing by garbage collectors have been set on fire, and 13% of gas stations are out of gasoline as a result of blockades at oil refineries. Nearly half of the pumps in the southern Bouches-du-Rhône region have stopped working.

The upcoming trip to France by King Charles has also been clouded by the demonstrations. Sandrine Rousseau, a Green Party lawmaker, demanded that the trip be cancelled: “Is welcoming Charles III to Versailles truly the top priority? French society is going through something, so it’s important to go and talk to the society that is rising up.”

Mr. Macron made his first public comments on the mounting pensions debate in an interview that was broadcast on two of the major French television networks under pressure to defuse the situation.

He allegedly informed party representatives at the Elysée Palace prior to his appearance that there would be no change in course. He ruled out any drastic action, including a change in the makeup of the government or the dissolution of the legislature.

It was “always a good thing if you want to be respectful to our institutions,” Mr. Macron told his colleagues, adding that he had no regrets about pushing through the reforms.

He and the prime minister have maintained that 175 hours of parliamentary debate had been spent on the measures. Mr. Macron emphasised that several parties had supported the change during its passage through the legislature but then sponsored a motion of no confidence that narrowly failed.

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