Demonstration against pension reform plan continues in France

PARIS -- Some 368,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday against the government's pension reform plan, the French Ministry of the Interior said.

The number of demonstrators was lower than expected. France's largest union the General Confederation of Labor (CGT in French) had predicted that up to one million would take part in the demonstration nationwide.

The railway service in France was "heavily" disrupted, according to the French national railway company SNCF. However, metros and other public transport in the Ile-de-France region where the French capital Paris is located were running as scheduled.

According to French local media, the French Senate may proceed to vote on the pension reform plan after days of debates. If the plan is approved by the Senate, next week it would be once again sent to the French National Assembly where the government may turn to a special article of the Constitution to pass the bill without a vote.

Some 1.28 million people protested across France on Tuesday against the government's pension reform plan, the French Ministry of the Interior said.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne laid out details of the pension reform plan in January, under which the legal retirement age will be progressively raised by three months a year from 62 to 64 by 2030, and a guaranteed minimum pension will be introduced.

Under the plan, as from 2027, at least 43 years of work would be required to be eligible for a full pension.