Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron summoned ministers for a crisis meeting on Monday, as tensions intensified a day before another major day of protests and strikes against his pension reforms.
Nearly two weeks after Macron pushed the new law through parliament using a special provision sidestepping any voting, unions have vowed no let-up in massive protests to get the government to reverse the decision.
French protestors’ call for another big day
They have called for another big day of protests on Tuesday, the tenth such mobilization since protests erupted in mid-January against the controversial legislation, which included raising the retirement age to 64 years from 62.
Macron, whose approvement ratings in opinion surveys are at a low point, said last week he accepted the “unpopularity” that came with due to reform.
Meanwhile, his prime minister Elisabeth Borne said that although there was no intention to drop the legislation, she was ready for fresh negotiations with unions.
Starting on Monday, Borne has scheduled negotiations over three weeks, including with political parties, members of parliament, local authorities, and unions.
A state visit to the country by Britain’s King Charles III, which had been due to start on Sunday, was postponed because of the ongoing unrest.
