Macron holds firm on pension reform bill as protests escalate

7:56pm: Saint-Nazaire bridge closed until further notice

The department of Loire-Atlantique in Western France has shut down Saint-Nazaire bridge.

Earlier on Wednesday, protesters blocked the bridge in protest at the government's pension reform.

Two gantries have allegedly been destroyed.

 

7:45pm: Growing protests in Paris

Hundreds of protesters have gathered once again in Paris to protest against the deeply unpopular pension reform. Demonstrators have gathered at Metro station Stalingrad to march through the city.

6:55pm: Police violence 'extraordinary' during protests

"The level of [police] violence has been extraordinary," Andrew Smith, historian of Modern France at Queen Mary University of London, told FRANCE 24.

Citing recent violent clashes between police forces and protesters in the streets of Paris over the past few days, Smith said times are tough for Macron and democracy in France.

Click on the player below to watch the interview in full. 

 

 

5:58pm: Consumers face gas shortage across France as refinery workers go on strike

Gas stations across the country are facing shortages as refinery workers continue to strike, blocking access to deposit centres.

The government on Tuesday requisitioned refinery workers at the gas deposit of Fos-sur-Mer in southern France, provoking clashes between police officers and protesters.

Meanwhile some departments have started to limit the purchase of gasoline.

Activites at TotalEnergies' refinery in Normandy are expected to be halted this weekend, according to trade union CGT. 

 

5:39pm: King Charles III visit to France may be disrupted by protests

King Charles III risks facing rubbish-strewn streets, transport strikes and disruption to his visit when he travels to France next week for his first foreign trip.

In a sign that his schedule is still up in the air, an aide to French President Emmanuel Macron told AFP on condition of anonymity Wednesday that "the programme is still being worked out by both sides".

The British sovereign's planned tour, intended as a statement of cross-Channel friendship after years of arguments between London and Paris, comes with France in the grip of mass protests over pension reform.

Thousands of tonnes of rubbish have piled up in the streets of Paris, where Charles is due to arrive on Sunday with Queen Consort Camilla, while trade unionists have warned they might target a planned stop in Bordeaux.

5:28pm: French opposition says Macron shows ‘contempt’ for workers in TV interview

French union leaders and opposition politicians on Wednesday reacted with outrage to a televised interview with President Emmanuel Macron in which he discussed planned pension reforms recently forced through government.

Read the full story here. 

5:25pm: Protests continue despite Macron's televised interview

Protesters incensed at Macron's televised interview continue to demonstrate against the government's pension bill.

Railway tracks in Marseille and a bridge in Saint-Nazaire are currently being blocked by protesters as they seek to make themselves heard by the Macron administration.

4:39pm: King Charles set to face strikes and disruption in France on first foreign visit

King Charles III risks facing rubbish-strewn streets, transport strikes and disruption to his visit when he travels to France next week for his first foreign trip.

Read the full story here. 

4:30pm: Macron breaks silence on France’s bitter pension battle: the key takeaways

French President Emmanuel Macron broke his silence on the bitter pension battle roiling the country in a televised interview on Wednesday, stressing that his contentious reform raising the pension age is necessary and will come into force later this year.

FRANCE 24's Ben Dodman takes a look at the key takeaways from Macron's speech. Read the full story here. 

4:04pm: Macron has left protesters with no choice, MP says

“The French have no other solution tomorrow [but] to come massively to the streets to try to make him understand some sense of what’s going on,” MP Raquel Garrido of the left-wing bloc NUPES told FRANCE 24's Clovis Casali.

“He’s in that castle and no one actually gets to him ... it’s infuriating, it's exasperating, it's contrary to basic democratic standards,” she added.

 

3:55pm: Rail traffic to be heavily disrupted on Thursday 

Rail traffic in France will be heavily disrupted on Thursday, France's state-owned railway company (SNCF) has announced. 

Trade unions have called for a ninth day of strikes and protests against the government's pension reform.

3:49pm: Reduced flights from Paris due to ongoing strikes 

Passengers should expect more disruption at French airports on Thursday due to strikes in France in protest against plans to increase the French retirement age, the DGAC civil aviation authority said on Wednesday.

The DGAC added that it had asked airlines to reduce their programme of flights from Paris Orly airport by 30%.

3:24pm: Politicians slam Macron over interview

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right Rassemblement National group, slammed Macron's interview on Wednesday, saying that the president has deepened the people's feeling of "being disregarded".

First secretary Oliver Faure of Parti socialiste condemned Macron for adding fuel to an "already bright burning fire".

President Éric Ciotti of Les Républicains meanwhile accused Macron of not providing "enough solutions to the crisis".

3:09pm: Very difficult for Macron to 'turn the page' on pension reform

It will be very difficult for President Macron "to turn the page" on the controversial pension reform, Professor of Political Science at Paris 8 University Yves Sintomer told FRANCE 24 as he discussed Macron's televised interview.

Sintomer also raised the question of the possiblity of governing France against "millions of people in the streets".

 

2:52pm: Macron defiant in interview over controversial pension bill

Unionists will not be happy over "what they have heard', FRANCE 24's French politics editor Marc Perelman said as he discussed Macron's interview, saying that the latter's hoping to "weather the storm". 

The final outcome will probably show in the next few weeks more "in the streets of France than in the halls of parliament", he added.

 

2:11pm: Union leaders denounce Macron's 'disdain' for protesters 

Union leaders that have organised and led several demonstrations against the government's controversial pension reform said Emmanuel Macron's interview expressed contempt for protesters.

CGT Union General Secretary Philippe Martinez said the interview showcased the French President's "hypocrisy", adding that Macron's comments showed "disdain for the millions of people who have been protesting".

CFDT Union Gerneral Secretary Laurent Berger meanwhile accused Macron of lying about the union's lack of compromise on the pension reform.

 

1:53pm: Watch the replay of Macron's interview on pension reform

 

1:38pm: Macron says prepared to accept unpopularity over pension reform

Macron on Wednesday said he was prepared to accept unpopularity as a consequence of imposing a controversial pensions reform that has sparked uproar and protests.

"Given a choice between opinion polls in the short term and the general interest of the country, I choose the general interest of the country," Macron said in a televised interview.

"If it is necessary to accept unpopularity today I will accept it," he added, while acknowledging he had "not succeeded in convincing" the country over the reform.

1:29pm: Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne to continue to lead government

Macron said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne still had his confidence.

Two days ago Borne's governement narrowly survived a no-confidence vote over a deeply unpopular pension reform.

>>  After Macron’s use of ‘nuclear option’ on unpopular pension reform, what's next?

"She has my confidence to lead this government," Macron said in the TV interview, adding that he has instructed the Prime Minister to enlargen majority in parliament.

1:25pm: Macron aims to bring the country back to normal 'as soon as possible'

Macron, in an interview with the TF1 and France 2 TV channels, said on Wednesday his government will aim to bring France back to normal "as soon as possible".

Macron was speaking two days after his government barely survived a no-confidence vote over a deeply unpopular pension reform and as nationwide protests continued.

1:18pm: Macron says big companies need to ramp up contribution

Large corporations that reap super profits and operate share buybacks need to participate more in the current redistribution system, Macron said in a televised interview Wednesday, adding that the government is looking at an "exceptional contribution" plan.

1:06pm: Macron seeks to implement pension reform by 'end of the year'

In his interview, Macron said he hopes the recently passed pension reform would be implemented by the end of the year after examination by the Constitutional Council.

"The longer we wait, the more it (the deficit) will deteriorate. This reform is necessary, it does not make me happy. I would have preferred not to do it," he added.

12:24pm: Macron seeks to 'calm things down' with televised interview

President Emmanuel Macron will look to "calm things down" with a televised interview on Wednesday amid growing anger across France over his plans to raise the retirement age, a source close to the centrist president said.

The question is whether Macron can achieve this. Advisers said the 1200 GMT interview would not contain any major policy announcements.

Neither a government reshuffle nor snap elections are on the cards, but rather an attempt to regain the initiative with measures to better involve citizens and unions in decision-making, political leaders in Macron's camp said.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP & Reuters)