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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Peter Allen

Emmanuel Macron admits pension reform ‘not accepted’ by French people in TV address

Emmanuel Macron has admitted that pushing France’s retirement age up from 62 to 64 “had not been accepted” but said there would be no U-turns following weeks of strikes and rioting.

The embattled President appeared on a pre-recorded nationwide TV broadcast three days after his controversial pension plans passed into law without a parliamentary vote.

“Is this reform accepted?” asked Mr Macron during the 12-minute address. “Obviously not. In spite of months of negotiations, no consensus was reached, and I regret that.”

He said he “heard the anger” of the French, adding “no-one can remain deaf to it.”

Mr Macron said there was “anger at jobs which, for many French people, no longer allow them to live well, in the face of rising prices for fuel, shopping, canteens.

“There is anger because some have the feeling of doing their part, but without being rewarded for their efforts, neither in wages, nor in effective public services.”

Insisting there would be no change in his policies, Mr Macron said the reform was “necessary to guarantee pensions and produce more wealth for our nation”, and for France to stay in line with European neighbours.

Within minutes of Mr Macron’s speech, illegal protests were underway, as riot police fought to restore order.

A crowd marched through the Republic area of Paris chanting “Macron resign!” while lighting fires and smashing windows. There were similar scenes around Hotel de Ville – Paris city hall – where another illegal protest formed.

Demonstrations erupted following Macron’s speech (REUTERS)

Some banged casserole dishes – a traditional means of showing anger in France, while others through projectiles at the police. Police in Marseille, Toulouse and Nantes reported similar disturbances.

Britain’s retirement age is 66, in Germany and Italy it is 67, and in Spain it is 65.

Last Thursday, a mob stormed the Paris headquarters of luxury group LVMH, which is run by Bernard Arnault, the richest man in the world.

There was also widespread rioting around Bastille Square – scene of the original 1789 Revolution – and in other cities and towns across the country.

Opposition politicians and unions spent the weekend attacking they see as the arrogant imposition of a two-year rise in the retirement age to 64 in the face of its rejection by an estimated 70 per cent of the population in opinion polls.

Marine Le Pen, of the far-Right National Rally, called for either a referendum on the reform, the dissolution of parliament, or Mr Macron’s resignation.

Élisabeth Borne, the prime minister, had been “totally destroyed” and the government had lost all credibility, said Ms Le Pen.

And Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist party, said the opposition was “not ready to move on to other things’’.

As sporadic protests took place around the country today, trade unions urged the public to turn May Day workers’ parades on May 1 into giant protests against the pension reform.

“It will be a tidal wave of historic proportions,” said Sophie Binet, leader of the CGT union.

And Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT, the biggest union, said: “Let’s bring down the house on May 1.”

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