Macron signs pension law amid protests

France's President Emmanuel Macron is set to address the nation on Monday evening to calm tempers after signing into law on Saturday controversial pension changes following a ruling by the country's top court.

The country's trade unions have announced a national strike on May 1 in protest against the changes after months of demonstrations since the law was introduced in January.

The Constitutional Council approved major measures in the pension law on Friday, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 despite polls that constantly show two-thirds of people oppose them.

The ruling is seen as a win for Macron, who has made pension reform a top priority for his second term in office, but it has also cut deeply into his popularity.

The Constitutional Council also blocked six measures in the pension reform, including a "senior index "aimed at encouraging the employment of older people.

In a separate decision, the council rejected a request by opposition lawmakers for a referendum on making 62 the maximum official retirement age. It will rule on another similar request next month.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said Friday's decision "marks the end of the institutional and democratic path of this reform". There were "no victors and no vanquished" after months of a nationwide standoff, she said.

The new pension law is due to come into force on Sept 1.

Macron has said the retirement age needs to be raised to avoid annual pension deficits forecast to reach 13.5 billion euros ($14.8 billion) by 2030.

"With this reform, the finances of the pension system will be balanced in 2030," a government statement said. "The government now wants to continue talks with (unions and others) to make work meaningful, improve working conditions and reach full employment."

France's present retirement age of 62 is lower than that of most member states of the European Union, which have lifted the age to 65 or higher.

The trade unions have argued that extra funding for pensions should come elsewhere instead of raising the retirement age, such as by raising taxes paid by the rich.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, said "the political fate of the pension reform is not sealed", adding that the reform "will mark the definitive break between the French people and Emmanuel Macron".

The ruling was greeted by booing in front of Paris City Hall, where about 4,000 demonstrators had gathered. Protests erupted in the capital and many other French cities before and after the ruling.

Agencies contributed to the story.