Macron defends the controversial law on the retirement age

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

Tens of thousands of people took part in the massive peaceful protests organized by unions and much of the public against the bill that would raise the retirement age by two years to 64.

Macron’s government narrowly passed the confidence vote of all three parties in parliament after mass demonstrations across the country. If the Macron government loses the vote of no confidence, both the government would fall and the pension reform would be cancelled.

President Macron said in a televised statement: “Do you think I like doing this reform? No. But there are not a hundred ways to balance the budget… this reform is necessary”.

Protesters today surrounded train stations in the cities of Nice and Toulouse, in the south of the country.

In addition to the street demonstrations, the actions affecting oil depots, public transport and garbage collection services were the biggest revolt against the authority of centrist President Macron since the “yellow vest” protests four years ago.