Protesters gather in southern French town ahead of president's visit

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – People gathered in the town of Ganges in southern France in protest against the pension reform bill ahead of the president's visit on Thursday, according to media reports.

Emmanuel Macron faced protesters in the department of Herault, where residents deliberately cut the power supply to the high school the president visited.

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

The protesters banged pots and pans to protest the pension reform bill.

As a result, local authorities in Herault decided to prohibit "using hand-held sound devices," not mentioning clearly the pots and pans.

The controversial pension reform plan was signed and promulgated Saturday in the Official Journal.

Macron signed the bill after the Constitutional Council finished its review late Friday despite demands by 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 bill includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, requiring at least 43 years of work to be eligible for a full pension, with workers and trade unions among others vehemently opposing the plan.

The government unveiled the reform 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 lacks an absolute majority in the legislature.