Protesters gather in central French town ahead of Macron’s visit

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) - Residents gathered in the town of Vendome in central France to protest a pension reform law ahead of President Emmanuel Macron’s visit on Tuesday, according to media reports.

Protesters awaited Macron in the department of Loir-et-Cher where residents banged pots and pans to protest the law which was promulgated April 15 in the Official Journal, said French broadcaster, BFMTV.

Demonstrators occupied railways near a care home ahead of Macron's arrival but security forces were deployed to prevent them from going further and keep them away from the president.

Authorities in Vendome once again decided to prohibit "using hand-held sound devices."

The General Confederation Labor (CGT) trade union organized a protest last week during Macron's visit to the eastern department of Bas-Rhin, according to BFMTV.

That was his first visit since he promulgated the law.

During his second visit to the town of Ganges in southern France on Thursday, Macron faced protesters and residents cut the power supply to the high school he visited.

They banged pots and pans to protest the pension reform, despite authorities in the department of Herault prohibiting "using hand-held sound devices."

Macron signed the bill late April 14 after the Constitutional Council completed its review, despite demands from trade unions to drop the measure that has triggered weeks of protests.

The nine "sages," as they are known in France, partially approved the bill while rejecting six of its measures, including those regarding senior workers.

The law will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, requiring at least 43 years of work to be eligible for a full pension.

The government unveiled the proposal in January and it was taken up for parliamentary debate the following month even as millions took to the streets to oppose it.

Unrest intensified when Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, after consulting with Macron, decided to use special constitutional powers to adopt the bill without parliamentary approval in March.

The decision was driven by fear that lawmakers would be able to block the reforms as the government lacked an absolute majority in parliament.