French President Emmanuel Macron's government on Monday narrowly survived two no-confidence motions in the parliament. The nation's 577 National Assembly rejected the motion brought by the centrist LIOT coalition by a very narrow margin. 278 MPs voted in favour of the tripartisan bill&nbsp;— nine less than the 287 needed for the motion to succeed.

A second no-confidence motion, tabled by the far-right National Rally (RN), also failed, gathering only 94 votes.

Watch |&nbsp;France: Protests continue over pension reforms, garbage collectors extend strike

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-protests-continue-over-pension-reforms-garbage-collectors-extend-strike-573476/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The result comes as a relief for Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and President Macron. A successful no-confidence vote would have sunk the government and would have killed the deeply unpopular legislation which seeks to raise the retirement age by two years to 64.

However, the relief could prove to be short-lived. As per Reuters, unions and protestors have vowed to carry on strikes and protests which in recent days have rocked the European nation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/resign-france-protests-escalate-as-govt-pushes-through-pension-change-without-vote-572931">'Resign': France protests escalate as govt&nbsp;pushes through pension change without vote</a>

Lawmakers from the hard left La France Insoumise (LFI, France Unbowed) were heard shouting "Resign!" at Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. They also brandished placards that read: "We'll meet in the streets," reports Reuters.

The pension reform has severely affected President Emmanuel Macron's personal ratings, bringing them to their lowest levels since the height of the 2019 protests. A survey on Sunday showed that Macron's approval ratings have tanked to a low, with only 28 per cent of the respondents viewing him in a positive light.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-union-members-police-clash-over-emmanuel-macrons-controversial-pension-reform-plan-573214">French union members, police clash over Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reforms</a>

A new round of protests, as per AFP, has been called across France on Thursday. These protests are expected to affect France's public transport severely, once again bringing it to a standstill. Government insiders and observers have raised fears that France may once again be heading towards a bout of anti-government protests like the "Yellow Vest" ones that hit the nation from 2018 to 2019.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

French President Emmanuel Macron's government on Monday narrowly survived two no-confidence motions in the parliament. The nation's 577 National Assembly rejected the motion brought by the centrist LIOT coalition by a very narrow margin.

French President Emmanuel Macron's government on Monday narrowly survived two no-confidence motions in the parliament. The nation's 577 National Assembly rejected the motion brought by the centrist LIOT coalition by a very narrow margin. 278 MPs voted in favour of the tripartisan bill — nine less than the 287 needed for the motion to succeed. A second no-confidence motion, tabled by the far-right National Rally (RN), also failed, gathering only 94 votes. Watch | France: Protests continue over pension reforms, garbage collectors extend strike The result comes as a relief for Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and President Macron. A successful no-confidence vote would have sunk the government and would have killed the deeply unpopular legislation which seeks to raise the retirement age by two years to 64. However, the relief could prove to be short-lived. As per Reuters, unions and protestors have vowed to carry on strikes and protests which in recent days have rocked the European nation. Also read | 'Resign': France protests escalate as govt pushes through pension change without vote Lawmakers from the hard left La France Insoumise (LFI, France Unbowed) were heard shouting "Resign!" at Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. They also brandished placards that read: "We'll meet in the streets," reports Reuters. The pension reform has severely affected President Emmanuel Macron's personal ratings, bringing them to their lowest levels since the height of the 2019 protests. A survey on Sunday showed that Macron's approval ratings have tanked to a low, with only 28 per cent of the respondents viewing him in a positive light. Also read | French union members, police clash over Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reforms A new round of protests, as per AFP, has been called across France on Thursday. These protests are expected to affect France's public transport severely, once again bringing it to a standstill. Government insiders and observers have raised fears that France may once again be heading towards a bout of anti-government protests like the "Yellow Vest" ones that hit the nation from 2018 to 2019. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'We'll meet in the streets': Macron's government narrowly survives no-confidence vote over pension reform

France's eight main trade unions called for a day of strikes on January 19 against pension reform announced by President Emmanuel Macron's government on Tuesday.

French unions call for strike against pension reform on Jan 19

Thousands of demonstrators, most of them unionists, filled Paris' streets on Wednesday (January 29) in protest of the French government's planned pensions overhaul, claiming the movement has fallen to President Emmanuel Macron's deaf ears.

Thousands march in Paris against pension reform as support for movement stays strong

Hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-strikes-government-stays-firm-on-pension-reforms-as-mass-protests-to-continue-268724">French protesters </a>took to the streets Tuesday in a pension reform standoff that has sparked nearly two weeks of crippling transport strikes, with the government vowing it will not give in to union demands to drop the overhaul.

Police said they fired tear gas in Paris after protesters hurled projectiles at them, with 30 people arrested in the French capital.

Pressure is growing on President Emmanuel Macron just days before the Christmas break and late Tuesday he named a new pensions chief to lead fresh talks with the unions set for Wednesday.

Lawmaker Laurent Pietraszewski will oversee the negotiations, replacing the last top official who was forced to resign on Monday when it emerged he had failed to declare income.

Teachers, hospital workers and other public employees joined transport workers on Tuesday for the third big day of marches since the dispute began on December 5.

The interior ministry said about 615,000 people took part in more than 100 rallies countrywide, including 76,000 demonstrators in Paris, where the Eiffel Tower was closed due to the protest.

The hardline CGT union tweeted that 1.8 million demonstrators had turned out across the country, a figure higher than the 1.5 million it claimed for the last big protest day on December 5.

The CGT said electricity workers had cut power to some 50,000 homes near Bordeaux and 40,000 in Lyon overnight, warning that bigger cuts could follow.

Later the CGT and four other trade unions issued a joint ultimatum to the government, saying local industrial action would continue with no let-up for Christmas, unless it responds to their requests "in the coming hours".

PM's determination 'is total'

The day of action was "a total success", said CGT leader Philippe Martinez. "Despite the government's attempts at division, the people remain mobilised," he added.

The government has insisted it will push through a single points-based pension system and end the current patchwork of 42 separate schemes that offer early retirement to many in the public sector.

It says the new system will be fairer and more transparent, improving pensions for women and low earners in particular.

"My determination, and that of the government and the majority, is total," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament on the eve of fresh talks with unions.

Critics say the changes could force millions of people to work beyond the official retirement age of 62 -- one of the lowest in Europe -- by setting a "pivot age" of 64 that would ensure a full pension.

"What scares us about the points system is that we don't know how much a point is worth," said Kelly Grosset-Curtet, a 21-year-old student marching in Lyon.

Laurent Berger, head of France's largest union, the moderate CFDT, took part in the Paris protest and described the pension reform measures as "terribly unjust".

'Mess up Christmas'&nbsp;

Commuters in Paris and other big cities have borne the brunt of the transport stoppages so far but holiday travel plans are now at risk, with just one in four high-speed TGV trains running on Tuesday.

Strike organisers are hoping for a repeat of 1995 when they forced the government to back down on pension reform after three weeks of metro and rail stoppages just before Christmas.

Some 62 percent of respondents to a poll for the RTL broadcaster said they support the strike but 69 percent said they wanted a "Christmas truce".

"Nobody wants to mess up Christmas, not the strikers nor workers nor the French who want to be with their families," Laurent Escure of the UNSA union told France 2 television.

"But this is entirely the government's fault."&nbsp;

Train operator SNCF has warned that it may now be too late to get services back to normal by December 25. But it assured that all TGV ticket holders would be able to travel over the pre-Christmas weekend, though with some changes to timetables.

Several universities have cancelled or postponed year-end exams, and both the Garnier and Bastille Operas in Paris have cancelled dozens of performances, costing millions of euros in lost ticket sales.

"This is absurd," Sylvie Baheux, a 55-year-old gym teacher, said at Paris' Saint-Lazare station on Tuesday, adding that her usual one-hour commute to work had doubled during the strike.

"It's complicated but this pension reform needed to be done," she told AFP.

Opposition leaders have urged the government to rethink the pension reform plans. &nbsp;

The travel misery is set to continue on the 14th day of the strike Wednesday, with half of the capital's 16 metro lines closed, most of the rest severely curtailed, and the number of regional and suburban trains slashed.

Hundreds of thousands of French protesters took to the streets Tuesday in a pension reform standoff that has sparked nearly two weeks of crippling transport strikes, with the government vowing it will not give in to union demands to drop the overhaul.

Hundreds of thousands of French protesters took to the streets Tuesday in a pension reform standoff that has sparked nearly two weeks of crippling transport strikes, with the government vowing it will not give in to union demands to drop the overhaul. Police said they fired tear gas in Paris after protesters hurled projectiles at them, with 30 people arrested in the French capital. Pressure is growing on President Emmanuel Macron just days before the Christmas break and late Tuesday he named a new pensions chief to lead fresh talks with the unions set for Wednesday. Lawmaker Laurent Pietraszewski will oversee the negotiations, replacing the last top official who was forced to resign on Monday when it emerged he had failed to declare income. Teachers, hospital workers and other public employees joined transport workers on Tuesday for the third big day of marches since the dispute began on December 5. The interior ministry said about 615,000 people took part in more than 100 rallies countrywide, including 76,000 demonstrators in Paris, where the Eiffel Tower was closed due to the protest. The hardline CGT union tweeted that 1.8 million demonstrators had turned out across the country, a figure higher than the 1.5 million it claimed for the last big protest day on December 5. The CGT said electricity workers had cut power to some 50,000 homes near Bordeaux and 40,000 in Lyon overnight, warning that bigger cuts could follow. Later the CGT and four other trade unions issued a joint ultimatum to the government, saying local industrial action would continue with no let-up for Christmas, unless it responds to their requests "in the coming hours". PM's determination 'is total' The day of action was "a total success", said CGT leader Philippe Martinez. "Despite the government's attempts at division, the people remain mobilised," he added. The government has insisted it will push through a single points-based pension system and end the current patchwork of 42 separate schemes that offer early retirement to many in the public sector. It says the new system will be fairer and more transparent, improving pensions for women and low earners in particular. "My determination, and that of the government and the majority, is total," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament on the eve of fresh talks with unions. Critics say the changes could force millions of people to work beyond the official retirement age of 62 -- one of the lowest in Europe -- by setting a "pivot age" of 64 that would ensure a full pension. "What scares us about the points system is that we don't know how much a point is worth," said Kelly Grosset-Curtet, a 21-year-old student marching in Lyon. Laurent Berger, head of France's largest union, the moderate CFDT, took part in the Paris protest and described the pension reform measures as "terribly unjust". 'Mess up Christmas' Commuters in Paris and other big cities have borne the brunt of the transport stoppages so far but holiday travel plans are now at risk, with just one in four high-speed TGV trains running on Tuesday. Strike organisers are hoping for a repeat of 1995 when they forced the government to back down on pension reform after three weeks of metro and rail stoppages just before Christmas. Some 62 percent of respondents to a poll for the RTL broadcaster said they support the strike but 69 percent said they wanted a "Christmas truce". "Nobody wants to mess up Christmas, not the strikers nor workers nor the French who want to be with their families," Laurent Escure of the UNSA union told France 2 television. "But this is entirely the government's fault." Train operator SNCF has warned that it may now be too late to get services back to normal by December 25. But it assured that all TGV ticket holders would be able to travel over the pre-Christmas weekend, though with some changes to timetables. Several universities have cancelled or postponed year-end exams, and both the Garnier and Bastille Operas in Paris have cancelled dozens of performances, costing millions of euros in lost ticket sales. "This is absurd," Sylvie Baheux, a 55-year-old gym teacher, said at Paris' Saint-Lazare station on Tuesday, adding that her usual one-hour commute to work had doubled during the strike. "It's complicated but this pension reform needed to be done," she told AFP. Opposition leaders have urged the government to rethink the pension reform plans. The travel misery is set to continue on the 14th day of the strike Wednesday, with half of the capital's 16 metro lines closed, most of the rest severely curtailed, and the number of regional and suburban trains slashed.

Hundreds of thousands protest in France over pension reform plans

The most serious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-unions-call-for-new-protests-strikes-on-tuesday-over-pension-reforms-266676">nationwide strike </a>to hit France in years caused new weekend travel turmoil on Saturday, with unions warning the walkouts would last well into next week.

The challenge thrown to President Emmanuel Macron over his plans for radical pension reform has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets and key transport services brought to a standstill.

The strikes, which began on Thursday, have recalled the winter of 1995 when three weeks of huge stoppages forced a social policy U-turn by the then-government.

Unions have vowed a second series of mass demonstrations nationwide on Tuesday after big rallies on Thursday and there is expected to be a little easing of the transport freezes over the coming days.

The strikes could prove to be the biggest domestic challenge yet for Macron, who came to power in 2017 on the back of promises to radically reform France and has sought a prominent place on the international stage as Europe's number one statesman.

Macron was widely believed to have ridden out the challenge posed by the "yellow vests" whose weekly Saturday protests against inequality in France had shaken the government over the last year.

But the yellow vests have also sought to utilise the momentum of the strike movement and are expected to hold protests across France this Saturday.

Government stands firm&nbsp;

With Macron seeking for now to rise above the fray, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe insisted that the government would not abandon the plan even if it was prepared to bring it in more gradually.

He said the government would work with trade unions to introduce a single points-based pension scheme that would require the French to "work a bit longer" and replace dozens of more advantageous plans currently enjoyed by public-sector workers.

But the premier emphasised that the changes, which he said would be unveiled on Wednesday, were going to be introduced "progressively, without harshness".

The SNCF rail operator has warned that disruption at the weekend will be at the same level as the last two days with just 10-15 per cent of high-speed and regional trains running.

The Paris metro will remain severely disrupted with nine lines entirely shut, five only partially and just the driverless 1 and 14 lines working normally.

Many cancellations are also expected on the international Eurostar and Thalys services.

Air travel, which has been less impacted by the strikes, was returning closer to normal with air traffic restrictions now dropped by civil aviation authorities.

Museums, opera closed&nbsp;

Tourists in Paris may also face some disappointments: the world-famous Louvre Museum said it could open later Saturday with some rooms closed due to the strikes, while the landmark exhibition of painter El Greco at the Grand Palais was closed.

The Paris Opera has also cancelled its performances over the last days due to the strike.

Businesses also feared that the lack of transport would affect shopping activity on a key weekend for the consumer economy just two weeks before Christmas.

The walkout is the latest test of Macron's mettle after months of protests from teachers, hospital workers, police and firefighters, capping a year of social unrest triggered by the yellow vest movement.

Unions say Macron's proposal for a single pension system would force millions of people in both the public and private sectors to work well beyond the official retirement age of 62.

At least 800,000 took part in rallies around the country on Thursday, according to the interior ministry -- one of the biggest demonstrations of union strength in nearly a decade.

Another day of strikes and rallies has been called for Tuesday, a day after union leaders are to meet again with government officials over the pension reform.

While most of the rallies Thursday were peaceful, police fired tear gas to disperse dozens of black-clad protesters smashing windows and throwing stones during the Paris march, with one construction trailer set on fire.

&nbsp;

The most serious nationwide strike to hit France in years caused new weekend travel turmoil on Saturday, with unions warning the walkouts would last well into next week.

The most serious nationwide strike to hit France in years caused new weekend travel turmoil on Saturday, with unions warning the walkouts would last well into next week. The challenge thrown to President Emmanuel Macron over his plans for radical pension reform has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets and key transport services brought to a standstill. The strikes, which began on Thursday, have recalled the winter of 1995 when three weeks of huge stoppages forced a social policy U-turn by the then-government. Unions have vowed a second series of mass demonstrations nationwide on Tuesday after big rallies on Thursday and there is expected to be a little easing of the transport freezes over the coming days. The strikes could prove to be the biggest domestic challenge yet for Macron, who came to power in 2017 on the back of promises to radically reform France and has sought a prominent place on the international stage as Europe's number one statesman. Macron was widely believed to have ridden out the challenge posed by the "yellow vests" whose weekly Saturday protests against inequality in France had shaken the government over the last year. But the yellow vests have also sought to utilise the momentum of the strike movement and are expected to hold protests across France this Saturday. Government stands firm With Macron seeking for now to rise above the fray, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe insisted that the government would not abandon the plan even if it was prepared to bring it in more gradually. He said the government would work with trade unions to introduce a single points-based pension scheme that would require the French to "work a bit longer" and replace dozens of more advantageous plans currently enjoyed by public-sector workers. But the premier emphasised that the changes, which he said would be unveiled on Wednesday, were going to be introduced "progressively, without harshness". The SNCF rail operator has warned that disruption at the weekend will be at the same level as the last two days with just 10-15 per cent of high-speed and regional trains running. The Paris metro will remain severely disrupted with nine lines entirely shut, five only partially and just the driverless 1 and 14 lines working normally. Many cancellations are also expected on the international Eurostar and Thalys services. Air travel, which has been less impacted by the strikes, was returning closer to normal with air traffic restrictions now dropped by civil aviation authorities. Museums, opera closed Tourists in Paris may also face some disappointments: the world-famous Louvre Museum said it could open later Saturday with some rooms closed due to the strikes, while the landmark exhibition of painter El Greco at the Grand Palais was closed. The Paris Opera has also cancelled its performances over the last days due to the strike. Businesses also feared that the lack of transport would affect shopping activity on a key weekend for the consumer economy just two weeks before Christmas. The walkout is the latest test of Macron's mettle after months of protests from teachers, hospital workers, police and firefighters, capping a year of social unrest triggered by the yellow vest movement. Unions say Macron's proposal for a single pension system would force millions of people in both the public and private sectors to work well beyond the official retirement age of 62. At least 800,000 took part in rallies around the country on Thursday, according to the interior ministry -- one of the biggest demonstrations of union strength in nearly a decade. Another day of strikes and rallies has been called for Tuesday, a day after union leaders are to meet again with government officials over the pension reform. While most of the rallies Thursday were peaceful, police fired tear gas to disperse dozens of black-clad protesters smashing windows and throwing stones during the Paris march, with one construction trailer set on fire.

No let-up in French strikes as fresh turmoil hits weekend