Green light: Macron allowed to raise retirement age, riots across France again | Abroad

Garbage and waste bins were set on fire in many places in Paris. People flocked to city hall. The police were not sparing with tear gas. By 10:30 p.m., police had made 112 arrests.

A police station was set on fire in Rennes, in western France. The flames were extinguished after a few minutes. Fire was also set at one of the doors of a conference center in the former Jacobin convent.

In Marseille, in the south, protesters stormed the tracks of the station around 8 p.m. Train traffic was suspended until 10:30 p.m.

Riots also broke out in cities such as Lyon, Grenoble and Nantes. In Nice, where there were already demonstrations and blockades during the day, demonstrators marched. Arrests have been reported in several cities.

The nine members of the Council, led by former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, criticized six smaller aspects of the reform, but left the higher retirement age untouched. As soon as Macron signs the text, the retirement age in France will therefore gradually increase to 64.

The left-wing opposition had asked the Council to support a referendum, but that request was rejected. A decision will be made on May 3 on a second request submitted later.

“There are neither winners nor losers tonight,” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said in a response on Twitter.

“With this reform, our pension system will be in balance by 2030. The government now wants to continue consultations with social partners to make work more meaningful, improve working conditions and achieve full employment,” the government said in a statement.

The government pushed through pension reforms last month without a vote in parliament.

Macron had already invited the unions for a meeting on Tuesday, even before the Constitutional Council’s decision. However, they refuse to meet with the government before May 1. According to the unions, the only way to stop the protests in the country is to move away from the reform, a statement said.

On May 1, Labor Day, the unions want to organize a big mobilization day. They will not be meeting with the government before that date, it still sounds. In fact, demonstrations are also organized on Saturday.

The main French opposition parties are also determined to continue their fight against the pension reform. “The battle continues,” responded the leader of the radical left Jean-Luc Mélenchon, while the far-right Marine Le Pen said “the political fate of the pension reform is not sealed.”

ANALYSIS. A working week of barely 35 hours and already retired at the age of 62. Why many French people find it inconceivable that this will be touched (+)