Over 570,000 Protesters Storms Streets In France

Hundreds of thousands of protesters in France marched and went on strike for the 11th time in three months, even after Macron’s pension overhaul, which raised the legal age of retirement to 64 from 62, became law. Though large, the number of protesters — about 570,000, according to French authorities, and about 2 million, according to unions — was lower than in previous rounds of protests, a sign that the movement was losing some steam, at least for now. The number of strikers in key sectors like transportation and education has also slowly declined. The protests came a day after a cordial but fruitless meeting — the first since January — between Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and the heads of the main labor unions. The union representatives left after less than an hour and complained that they were not being heard.

Unions are also planning a new day of protests on the eve of a key ruling on the pension law by the body that reviews legislation to ensure that it conforms to the Constitution. That ruling is expected next week.