Almost a million march in France in protest at government pension reform plans

Police were out in force across France on Saturday as protesters held a sometimes restive fourth round of protests over government pension reforms.

Over 960,000 people marched in Paris, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes and other cities, according to the Interior Ministry. Protesters hoped to keep up the pressure on the government to back down, and further action is planned for Feb. 16.

In the French capital, authorities counted some 93,000 participants, the most to demonstrate in Paris against the pension changes since the protests started last month.

93,000 marched in Paris

The weekend demonstrations drew young people and others opposed to the pension proposals who weren’t able to attend the previous three days of action, all held on weekdays.

This time, though, rail worker strikes did not accompany the demonstrations, allowing trains and the Paris Metro to run Saturday. However, an unexpected strike by air traffic controllers meant that up to half of flights to and from Paris’ second largest airport, Orly, were cancelled on Saturday afternoon.

In Paris, some workers and students who wanted to voice opposition attended the protests for the first time, owing to heavy weekday workloads.

“We often hear that we should be too young to care, but with rising inflation, soaring electricity prices, this reform will impact our families,” Elisa Haddad, 18. said. “It is my first demonstration because I couldn’t attend with uni. It is important that the voice of (France’s) parents and students is heard.”

French lawmakers began a rowdy debate earlier this week on the pension bill to raise the retirement age.

Saturday’s protests featured flashes of unrest. One car and several rubbish bins were set on fire on a central Parisian boulevard as police charged the crowd and dispersed protesters with tear gas. Paris police said officers arrested eight people for infractions ranging from possession of a firearm to vandalism.

Test for Macron

Some demonstrators walked as families through the French capital’s Place de la Republique and carried emotional banners. “I don’t want my parents to die at work,” read one, held by a teenage boy.

The protests are a crucial test both for Macron and his opponents. The government has insisted it’s determined to push through Macron’s election pledge to reform France’s generous pension system. Of the 38 member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, France is among countries that spend the most years in retirement.