France protests: Macron's pension reforms leads to clashes between demonstrators and police in Paris

WION examines what is at risk for the president, the unions, and the nation as a whole as labour unions attempt to "put the country to a standstill." 

Read the whole story here. 

Contested pension reforms that seek to raise the retirement age sparked clashes during a protest march in Paris on Tuesday (March 7), as French unions attempted to stop the nation.

In the vicinity of Port Royal in southern Paris, police used tear gas as masked demonstrators threw objects and fireworks, lit trash bins on fire, and broke windows on cars.

The CGT union, which has joined the countrywide strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plans, said that French oil refineries have been shut down since Tuesday morning (March 7).

No trucks are anticipated to deliver oil till Friday to TotalEnergies' refinery in Donges (March 10).

Under the new pension reform, French women are cited to be the ones who will lose the most as their pensions are already 40 per cent less than men. 

Many women out on the French streets have been seeking support from the other members of French public putting Gender equality on a significant pedestal of the entire debate around pension reforms. 

Protesters gathered across Paris to express their disproval of President Macron government’s retirement plan. A report by France 24 said that there are currently 60,000 to 90,000 protestors in Paris alone. 

A month after over million people marched on the streets to mark their protest against the France pension reforms, similar kind of a situation is brewing once again across the nation. "Let's bring France to a halt!" a coalition of unions said in a statement and termed the the reforms unacceptable and useless. 
 

As nation-wide protests continue in France over pension reforms, France's far-left leader Luc Melenchon warned that an intensive and justified action. "The battle begins today, in a few hours, the whole country will come to a halt", promised Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, who is joining the demonstration against the French government's pension reform in the southern city of Marseille.
 

Massive strikes are taking place in France to mark protests against French President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms that seeks to raise the pension age from 62 to 65. Oil refineries, schools and most train and metro services remained closed on Tuesday. "The strike has begun everywhere," said Eric Sellini of the CGT union.