More than 2.5 million protester pension reform in France: CGT union

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) - More than 2.5 million people in France protested pension reform Saturday, according to media reports that cited the General Labor Confederation union.

Workers from all sectors continued to object to reform plans revealed by the government in January.

The CGT counted 2.5 million demonstrators, while the Interior Ministry recorded 963,000 protesters, said the Le Figaro newspaper.

CGT's figures for Saturday are fewer than those from a Jan. 31 protest where it recorded 2.8 million but more than Jan. 19 and Feb. 7 where it said it had around 2 million.

Police in Paris counted 93,000 participants in the capital where fighting broke out between demonstrators and security forces, said Le Figaro.

Police arrested 10 suspects and one officer suffered an eye wound, said the newspaper.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote Friday on Twitter that 10,000 police officers will ensure security during the protests, including 4,500 in Paris.

The reform plans, which have triggered public outrage, include raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 in 2030 and requiring at least 43 years of work to be eligible for full pensions.