French President Emmanuel Macron faced renewed pressure today, Friday, due to the controversial extension of the retirement age by two years to 64. Following a European Union summit in Brussels, Macron reiterated his earlier stance on the protests, stating that he is open to discussing future policy changes with unions and added, "We will continue to move forward. France cannot come to a standstill... We will not yield to violence; I condemn violence in the strongest terms." He stated that the pension law will simply follow its course, as it is currently under review for its legality by the French Constitutional Council. The government previously passed the law in Parliament without a vote.
As a result, violent clashes occurred last night in Paris and other cities between protesters and police. About 441 police officers were injured, and 475 individuals were arrested, along with dozens of injured demonstrators. Laurent Berger, president of the French Democratic Confederation of Labor, confirmed that "everyone is worried because the violence is unacceptable," urging Macron to intervene. He stated in an interview with RTL, "We need to calm things down before a tragedy occurs and find an exit; we need the government and the president to take the initiative." He suggested that the solution is to suspend the reform for six months to seek a compromise.
It is noteworthy that Macron has stated he will not withdraw the law and that he intends to implement it as planned by the end of the year.
