- Title: Protesters march across France against Macron and his pension bill
- Date: 28th March 2023
- Summary: VARIOUS OF UNION MEMBERS STANDING AROUND EFFIGY OF FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON ON GROUND PROTESTER WITH RED PAINT ON HER FACE / PROTESTERS THROWING MACRON EFFIGY UP IN AIR PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 28, 2023) (REUTERS) EIFFEL TOWER SIGN AT ENTRANCE OF EIFFEL TOWER THAT READS (French/English): "The Eiffel Tower is currently closed due to a strike notice. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding." ENTRANCE EMPTY QUEUE AREA, TOURISTS TAKING PHOTOS TOURISTS TAKING PHOTOS ON STREET NEAR CLOSED EIFFEL TOWER VARIOUS TOP VIEWS OF PROTERSTERS AND UNION FLOATS IN STREETS PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (French): "UN save us, Macron becomes dictator" MAN HOLDING FLARE ON PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE SQUARE UNION PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH CASKET WITH PICTURE OF MACRON ON IT VARIOUS OF UNION PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH BALLOONS
- Embargoed: 11th April 2023 15:54
- Keywords: France Macron Protest fire pensions reforms
- Location: VARIOUS, FRANCE
- City: VARIOUS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Civil Unrest,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA003093028032023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS WRAP AND CONTAINS NO NEW MATERIAL
French protesters blocked train tracks and highways, and clashed with police in some cities, as they marched across the country on Tuesday (March 28) against President Emmanuel Macron and his deeply unpopular pension bill.
In the western city of Nantes, the boarded-up front of a BNP Paribas bank branch was set on fire. A car was set on fire in the margins of the rally, while some shot fireworks at police.
In Paris and in Marseille, protesters blocked train tracks for a while.
Earlier in the day, the government rejected a new demand by unions to suspend and rethink the pension bill, which will delay retirement age by two years to 64, infuriating labor leaders who said the government must find a way out of the crisis.
The government said it was more than willing to talk to unions, but on other topics, and repeated it would stand firm on the pension front.
Macron, who promised to deliver pension reform in both of his presidential campaigns, says change is needed to keep the country's finances in balance.
Unions and opposition parties say there are other ways to do that.
Millions of people have been demonstrating and joining strike action since mid-January to show their opposition to the bill.
But public frustration has evolved into broader anti-Macron sentiment.
In particular, the protests have intensified since the government used special powers to push the bill through parliament without a vote.
(Production: Olga Vyshnevska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None