š“ Live: Ninth day of nationwide protests as France’s Macron stands firm on pension reform
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Trains were disrupted and a new day of nationwide protests kicked off in France on Thursday after a defiant President Emmanuel Macron pledged to implement his contentious pensions overhaul by year’s end in a televised interview on Wednesday. Read our live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).
9:33am: French unions dig in after Macron defends pension reform
Trains were disrupted and a new day of nationwide protests kicked off in France on Thursday after a defiant President Emmanuel Macron pledged to implement a contentious pensions overhaul by the end of the year.
France’s leader on Wednesday said he was prepared to accept unpopularity because the bill raising the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 was “necessary” and “in the general interest of the country”.
Protests were planned across the country on Thursday in the latest day of nationwide strikes that began in mid-January against the pension changes.
Half of all high-speed trains were cancelled, national railway operator SNCF said, after union sources reported around a third of staff would be striking.
At least half the trains into Paris from the suburbs were not running.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP & Reuters)