Protests resume in France amid anger at Macron's pension age reform

19/3/2023 6:39

        Refinery strikes persisted in France on Saturday and more demonstrations were taking place throughout the country amid anger at the government pushing
        through a rise in the state pension age without a parliamentary vote.
        
        The growing unrest, combined with rubbish piling up on the streets of Paris after refuse workers joined in the action, has left President Emmanuel Macron with the gravest challenge to his authority since the so-called "Gilets Jaunes" (Yellow Vests) protests of December 2018.
        
        Some 37% of operational staff at TotalEnergies' refineries and depots - at sites including Feyzin in southeast France and Normandy in the north - were on strike on Saturday, a company spokesperson said.
        
        Meanwhile rolling strikes continued on the railways.
        
        Riot police clashed with protesters on Friday evening in Paris as a demonstration took place at the capital's Place de la Concorde, near the Assemblee Nationale parliament building, resulting in 61 arrests.