Thousands of Protesters Clash with Police as French President Defends Pension Reform

By Staff, Agencies

The French capital and other cities have witnessed an escalation of tensions after President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech to defend his widely unpopular pension reform plan after it was signed into law.

As Macron was speaking, thousands gathered outside town halls across France on Monday, banging saucepans in a bid to drown out the speech.

"He hasn't listened to us for three months. We're doing this to show there's no point in listening to him either," 57-year-old projectionist Benedicte Delgehier said in Paris.

After the speech, dozens joined a spontaneous protest in the capital, setting fire to garbage containers with police firing tear gas canisters to disperse them.

"He chose to turn his back on the French and ignore their suffering," said former far-right presidential candidate, Le Pen, as hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said Macron was "totally out of touch with reality."

CFDT union leader Laurent Berger said the speech contained "nothing concrete" for the labor movement and said Macron had "not uttered a word" on easing tensions.

Head of the right-wing Republicans Eric Ciotti, who supported the reform, also dismissed the speech as a "catalogue of pious wishes" and said Macron's "method had clearly not changed."

During his speech, Macron defended pension reform, which raises retirement age from 62 to 64, but said he understood the "anger" felt by the French after three months of protests.

Macron signed the legislation early Saturday, just hours after its main goal of increasing the retirement age was validated by the constitutional court.

Speaking from the Elysee Palace, Macron defended the reform as "necessary" and insisted "doing nothing" was not a solution.

"Has this reform been accepted? Obviously not. And despite months of consultations, no consensus could be found and I regret it."

Macron added that he has tasked his government led by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to lead 100 days of action "at the service of France" to ease tensions and promote unity.

The left and unions, however, dismissed his latest attempt to ease tensions and warned of mass Labor Day protests on May 1.

Polls have consistently recorded a majority of French opposed to the reform, which the government rammed through parliament using a controversial mechanism to avoid a vote.