French protests push for withdrawal of Macron’s pension plan

By ELAINE GANLEY
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Opponents of French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 have staged a new round of protests to try to push the government to withdraw the unpopular plan. Determination was high on Saturday, but the crowds were smaller than in past protests. Ongoing strikes in key sectors bolstered the nationwide marches, the second round of protests since January. A union leader in Paris says Macron’s refusal to accept union leaders’ request for a meeting amounted to “giving the finger” to the unions. Police tackled and pepper-sprayed troublemakers in the capital who set fires to piles of uncollected trash along the march route. More protests are planned for Wednesday.