France is bracing for more strikes and protests after a meeting between the prime minister and unions failed to resolve a political deadlock over a reform that would raise the retirement age.

Since January, hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in mass demonstrations organized by unions against the bill that will raise the retirement age by two years to 64.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the retirement age reform, which he insisted on enacting despite strong public backlash, was necessary and would begin to be implemented by the end of the year.

BECAUSE THE INTERVIEWS WERE A FAILURE…

Unions said they will continue to resist the law after hour-long talks with French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne failed yesterday.

While the unions affirm that the only way out of the crisis may be the withdrawal of the law, El Borne categorically rejects this possibility.

Laurent Berger, president of France’s largest union, the CFDT, called for the maximum number of workers, men and women, to take to the streets of France today after the meeting; Today’s level of turnout for the 11th demonstration in the past three months will show whether the protests are losing momentum. (Reuters)