Paris
\nMore than a million people took part in demonstrations across France on Thursday, halting trains and cutting electricity production, in protest against government plans to raise the retirement age by two years to 64.
\nThe government said a total of 1.12 million people had taken part in the demonstration, including 80,000 at a march in Paris, which saw police clash briefly with some protesters.
\nThe stoppages are a major test for President Emmanuel Macron, who said on Thursday that his pension reform plan, which opinion polls show is hugely unpopular, was \u201cjust and responsible\u201d and had to be carried out. Protesters disagreed.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s salaries and pensions that must be increased, not the retirement age,\u201d read one large banner carried by workers that opened the protest march in Tours, in western France.
\n\u201cI\u2019ll have to prepare my walking frame if the reform goes through,\u201d said Isabelle, 53, a social worker, saying her job was too tough to add two more years.
\nThe turnout was quite a large number, even by French standards, and more than the turnout at a first rally against a previous pension reform in 2019.
\nThe leader of the hardline CGT union, Philippe Martinez, said more than 2 million took part. It is common in France that police and union estimates vary widely. Either way, the turnout is a success for the unions, political analysts say.
\nPolice briefly fired tear gas on the fringes of the Paris protest when black-clad, masked individuals in hoodies hurled projectiles at their lines. About 30 people were arrested, police said.
\nThe government says the pension reform is vital to ensure the system does not go bust. Pushing back the retirement age by two years and extending the pay-in period would bring an additional 17.7 billion euros ($19.1 billion) in annual pension contributions, allowing the system to break even by 2027, according to Labour Ministry estimates.
\nUnions argue there are other ways to ensure the viability of the pension system such as taxing the super-rich or increasing employers\u2019 contributions or those of well-off pensioners.
\nIn Nice, in southern France, and elsewhere, banners read: \u201cNo to the reform.\u201d
\n\u201cThis problem can be solved in a different way, through taxation. Workers should not have to pay for the public sector deficit,\u201d said Laurent Berger, the leader of CFDT, France\u2019s biggest labour union.
\n##More strikes
\nThe challenge for the unions is to transform opposition to the reform \u2014 and anger over a cost-of-living crisis \u2014 into a mass social protest which could eventually force the government to change tack.
\nnion leaders, expected to announce more strikes and protests in the evening, said Thursday was just the beginning.
\nThe pension reform still needs to go through parliament, where Macron has lost his absolute majority but is hoping to get it passed with the support of conservatives.
\nTrain drivers, teachers and refinery workers were among those who walked off their jobs, as well as nearly 45 per cent of staff at utility giant EDF, the company said. France Inter radio played music instead of its usual programming and bus drivers and civil servants also stopped work.
\nOnly between one-in-three and one-in-five high-speed TGV lines were operating, with barely any local or regional trains running, the SNCF rail operator said.
\nTraffic disrupted
\nIn Paris, some metro stations were closed and traffic was seriously disrupted, with few trains running.
\nIn the busy Gare du Nord station, people rushed to catch the few trains still operating while employees in yellow vests were assisting frazzled commuters.
\nRestaurant worker Beverly Gahinet, who missed work because her train was cancelled, said she agreed with the strike even if she was not taking part. But not all were so understanding.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s always the same (people) who are on strike \u2026 and we have to endure it,\u201d said real estate worker Virginie Pinto, as she struggled to find a metro to go to work.
\nA 2007 ban on wildcat walkouts and restrictions on strikes to guarantee minimum public services have limited unions\u2019 ability to wear down governments\u2019 reform ambitions. The fact that working from home is much more common now since the pandemic could also have an impact.
\nThe strike halted ferry crossings between Dover and Calais, a major sea route for trade between Britain and the continent.
\nSome seven out of 10 primary school teachers stopped work, and nearly as many in high schools, their unions said, though the Education Ministry gave much lower figures.
\nIn Paris, students blockaded at least one high school in support of the strike action.
\nEDF and grid operator RTE data showed electricity production was down by roughly 10 per cent of total power supply, prompting France to raise imports.
\nShipments were blocked at TotalEnergies\u2019 refineries in France, union and company officials said, but the company said one strike day would not disrupt refinery operations.
\nThe impact on air traffic was largely limited to a reduction of about 20pc of flights in Orly, Paris\u2019 second-biggest airport.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Paris More than a million people took part in demonstrations across France on Thursday, halting trains and cutting electricity production, in protest against government plans to raise the retirement age by two years to 64. The government said a total of 1.12 million people had taken part in the demonstration, including 80,000 at a march […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":308726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-308700","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n