France

King Charles's state visit to France has been postponed amid planned protests over the French government's controversial pension reforms.

Charles and Camilla were due to travel from France to Germany on Wednesday for a state visit. However a decision to postpone the visit was made after In Bordeaux, demonstrators set fire to the entrance of the city hall during skirmishes with police, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.

PARIS—Since he took office six years ago, French President Emmanuel Macron has hardly had a moment of plain sailing. First came the so-called yellow vests, ...

[30 percent](https://www.oecd.org/governance/trust-in-government/) of the French said they had confidence in the government, more than 10 points lower than the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development average. “We can expect [Macron’s] Renaissance party to struggle in the European elections,” Belin said. In a sign that despite the tensions it’s still possible to find some common ground, text that facilitates the construction of new nuclear reactors was approved with a large majority by the National Assembly this week. [polls](https://www.ifop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/119808-Rapport.pdf), Le Pen is the public figure that best embodies the opposition to Macron’s pension reform, closely followed by radical left-wing firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon. With the exception of budget bills, the 49.3 procedure can only be invoked once per parliamentary term, and Macron, who still has four years in the top job, will need to reach out to the opposition to get things done. The article is a key provision of a constitution largely shaped by former French President Charles de Gaulle’s desire to have a stable political system as he established the Fifth Republic in 1958, after a decade of short-lived, inefficient cabinets. With his time in office going by fast, “he is trying to push through at all costs a number of reforms that he considers essential.” “They want to govern by decree, without the National Assembly,” said Raquel Garrido, a parliamentarian with La France Insoumise left-wing party. Meanwhile, thousands of tons of trash continue to pile up in the streets of Paris and other cities, as a result of rolling walkouts by garbage collectors. Macron has always aspired to play a large role in Europe and beyond, and observers expect him to focus even more on international issues in the coming years in a bid to seek respite from his troubles at home. With two-thirds of the French Strikers are disrupting public transport and road traffic in parts of the country on a daily basis as well as blockading several oil refineries and depots, causing fuel shortages at gas stations and airports.

Since Emmanuel Macron forced through his plans to raise the pension age in France last week, public dismay over the change to a fiercely protected feature ...

But most observers believe opposition to the plans is too baked in for that tactic to succeed, and that even if he prevails on this policy, he is likely to be hamstrung for the rest of his presidency. Macron’s decision to force his plan through parliament without a vote is opposed by 82% of voters, and 65% want protests to continue even if the proposals become law. That leads critics to argue that Macron’s approach is too combative and stark, and to claim that he is instead prioritising tax cuts for businesses even as he tries to get the national deficit below an EU target of 3%. Versions of the debate in France are likely to be reproduced elsewhere over the coming years. They are proud of the fact that French pensioners are less likely to live in poverty than those in most other European countries. [made a live TV appearance](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/22/emmanuel-macron-says-he-will-not-back-down-over-pension-age-rise-france) to defend his plan to raise the official retirement age in France from 62 to 64 – and if any of his opponents were hoping for a message of compromise, they were sorely disappointed. They reject tax increases as an alternative model, saying that France already has an unusually high tax burden, and say that demographic changes make some kind of change inevitable: while there were 2.1 workers for each retiree in 2000, the ratio was 1.7 in 2020 and is expected to reach 1.2 by 2070. One quick index of the breadth of the anger can be seen in this This time around, he has taken a simpler approach: instead of merging the country’s 42 separate pension schemes, he argues that asking people to work for two more years can make the system sustainable in the long term. They say that the president’s move to force the reforms through without a vote has raised wider concerns about the state of French democracy. But Marylise Léon, the deputy secretary general of the CFDT union, called the trouble “a response to the falsehoods expressed by the president and his incomprehensible stubbornness”. Macron ruled out any change to the deeply unpopular policy, and also rejected calls for a reshuffle of his government or the resignation of his prime minister, Élisabeth Borne.

Fury at President Emmanuel Macron's decision to bypass parliament on pension reform has sparked days of unrest across the country, reviving scrutiny of ...

“The president seems in no mood to compromise, so we can only imagine the crisis will drag on.” In the current context, Roché added, heavy-handed policing stems from the “crisis of authority” undermining Macron’s minority and deeply unpopular government. “It follows a nationwide strategy, which is why you see large-scale arrests everywhere and not at the discretion of local police forces.” On Friday, the Council of Europe became the latest body to condemn police’s “excessive use of force”. He also accused trade unions of refusing to seek a compromise. “This could end up in tragedy: the death of a protester.” Meanwhile, lawmakers from the left-wing opposition denounced a campaign aimed at intimidating protesters with threats of arrest. In Paris alone, more than 420 people were detained during the first three days of protests triggered by Macron’s decision to bypass parliament last Thursday. He pointed to a special motorised unit known as the BRAV-M, whose baton-wielding officers are frequently accused of beating people at random – be they protesters, bystanders or journalists covering the rallies. “By remaining invisible, we avoid contact with the hardliners who are merely looking for a fight.” Heavy-handed police tactics have in turn exacerbated the unrest, in a spiral of violence that France is all too familiar with. Darmanin, typically considered a hardliner in Macron’s government, was among ministers who pleaded with the president not to trigger article 49.3 – and for good reason.

Ahead of the strike, French authorities had mobilized 12,000 police officers throughout the country, including 5,000 in Paris.

“It’s in the greater interest of the country. The country’s generous pension system and early retirement have been a point of pride since they were enacted after World War II. This state visit will be rescheduled as soon as possible,” the statement continued. And earlier in the day, about 70 protesters blocked terminal one at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, an airport spokesperson told CNN. Despite protests, Macron’s government has not backed down. Unionized workers blockaded a major oil refinery in Normandy and another one in Fos-sur-Mer in the south of the country, according to a government spokesperson.

PARIS: A total of 457 people were arrested and 441 security forces were injured on Thursday during nationwide protests against French president Emmanuel ...

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Days after the French government passed much-despised pension reforms, chaos reigns throughout the country.

What’s more, there are claims that agitators have taken advantage of the discord to wreak havoc. For background on why President Emmanuel Macron says the reforms are central to plugging France’s ballooning debt hole and boosting productivity, see [here.](https://www.gzeromedia.com/macrons-big-gamble) Either way, it was the most violent day in a series of protests that have gripped the country for months.

PARIS: Britain's King Charles on Friday cancelled a state visit to France after social unrest over President Emmanuel Macron's new pension law erupted...

“The King and The Queen Consort’s State Visit to France has been postponed. “France is dangerous right now, with the protests. His government lacks a clear majority.

The world has reacted to violent demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms with warnings, questions about the future of France's ...

she said Friday in a message on her Telegram account, which was accompanied by a video showing overturned cars on a French street. One of the main pro-government sites reported that "according to information on the ground, the situation continues to deteriorate". "France can't go on like this. It's time to end the Fifth Republic, with its all-powerful presidency... They are much more attentive to their rights. "When is Macron going to start delivering weapons to French citizens to support democracy and the sovereignty of the country?"

Kylian Mbappe scored twice and assisted while wearing the armband, while Antoine Griezmann continued his electric form to lift France to a 4-0 win.

Dayot Upamecano doubled the French advantage five minutes later, turning home from close range after a goalkeeping blunder from Jasper Cillessen. Griezmann opened the scoring early, curling a shot into the far corner off an Mbappe pass inside two minutes. Les Blues scored early and settled in thereafter to brush aside an injury-crippled Netherlands team, completing a convincing 4-0 win to start their Euro qualifying campaign.

What Republicans should learn from French protests over pension cuts ... The debate in France over raising the retirement age is also happening in the US. By ...

That would ensure Social Security’s survival through 2046, according to [projections](https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/58630#:~:text=The%20Congressional%20Budget%20Office%20projects,be%20subject%20to%20payroll%20taxes.) by the Congressional Budget Office. [minimum of $65,000](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/social-security-benefits-tax-cap-2023/). But it’s not at all clear that [current pension spending](https://www.france24.com/en/france/20230109-macron-s-pension-reform-necessary-changes-to-an-unsustainable-system) is out of control, and in making his claims, only added to protesters’ fury. “What they’re actually saying is, we’re going to cut your benefits so that rich people don’t pay more in taxes.” Though an American can start claiming benefits as early as 62, they will only reap their highest monthly benefits at age 70 under the Delayed Retirement Credit, which was implemented in the early 1970s. But they do offer a warning to those Republicans who have been agitating for reforms to Social Security, which they have also misleadingly framed as the only means of ensuring the program’s survival. The thing is, you don’t have to touch it for seniors and anybody near retirement. Republicans have tried to frame such proposals as reforms that would keep the system solvent for future generations without touching the benefits for any current retirees or those close to retirement age. At least [149 police were injured and 172 people were arrested](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230323-%F0%9F%94%B4-live-9th-day-of-nationwide-protests-as-france-s-macron-stands-firm-on-pension-reform). [Bordeaux city hall](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/23/workers-block-paris-airport-terminal-pension-protests-continue-france) and newsstands across Paris, hurled smoke bombs, and damaged property. Police tried to quell them with [tear gas and water cannons](https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/23/intl_business/france-pension-national-strike-violence-intl-hnk/index.html) late into the night. The new law is a priority of President Emmanuel Macron, who used a constitutional loophole to force the change into effect after it became apparent parliament would reject it.

PARIS — France is protesting against Emmanuel Macron's plans to raise the retirement age. After months of strikes and protests, tension reached its peak on ...

That constitutional maneuver added a new layer to existing angriness, [protesters say](https://www.politico.eu/article/france-emmanuel-macron-protest-against-democratic-gap-in-macrons-pensions-reform/). [compared](https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-digs-in-stands-by-no-alternative-pensions-reform-opposition-parties-trade-unionists-parliamentary-vote-elisabeth-borne/) violent protests with subversive riots [in the U.S](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/06/how-capitol-hill-riots-started-455654). [to point out](https://youtu.be/Ah-_JmvULJc?t=410) that the retirement age in France is among the lowest in Europe — a comparison that could make international observers wonder why the French are so reluctant to adapt their pension system to rising life expectancy. [hard to compare](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2023/03/01/french-pension-reform-why-comparing-european-systems-is-hardly-relevant_6017744_8.html) and France is closer to its neighbors when comparing the effective retirement age. or [in Brazil](https://www.politico.eu/article/jair-bolsonaro-brazil-far-right-riot-investigation/). At last year’s parliamentary election, Macron lost an outright majority in the French National Assembly and the decision to skip a parliamentary vote on the reform [further exposed](https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-invokes-nuclear-option-to-force-through-his-pensions-reform-in-huge-political-setback/) the president’s weakness. Protesters POLITICO [spoke with](https://www.politico.eu/article/france-emmanuel-macron-protest-against-democratic-gap-in-macrons-pensions-reform/) are furious with Macron for the reform — which would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, and extend contributions to get a full pension — but also for [bypassing](https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-invokes-nuclear-option-to-force-through-his-pensions-reform-in-huge-political-setback/) a parliamentary vote. They are also multiple [allegations of police brutality](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/economie/retraite/reforme-des-retraites/temoignages-je-me-suis-fait-tabasser-gratuitement-plusieurs-manifestants-contre-la-reforme-des-retraites-denoncent-des-violences-policieres_5724542.html), something that has fueled the fire of demonstrations in recent years, including during the Yellow Jacket crisis. In parallel, the Constitutional Council is In theory, the reform is done. Violent actions and vandalism have been a key feature of Yellow Jacket protests everywhere in France. Some protesters were wearing their fluorescent uniform during marches in Paris and some small spontaneous Yellow Jacket meetings are

France will ban the use of Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok on the work phones of civil servants, Civil Service Minister Stanislas Guerini said on his ...

Register for free to Reuters and know the full story He added that for several weeks, several of France's European and international partners have adopted measures to restrict or ban the downloading and installation of the TikTok application by their administrations. "In order to guarantee the cybersecurity of our administrations and civil servants, the government has decided to ban recreational applications such as TikTok on the professional phones of civil servants," he said in a statement.

PARIS: Violent protests against pensions reform in France led to the postponement Friday of King Charles III's trip to the country, highlighting the g...

King Charles had been set to visit the southwestern city on Tuesday, after a day in Paris. “It would calm things down.” Police arrested more than 450 people on Thursday, according to interior ministry figures. The leader of the moderate CFDT union, Laurent Berger, said Friday he had spoken to an aide to the president and suggested a pause on implementing the pensions law for six months. Macron’s decision to force the legislation through parliament and his refusal to back down in a television interview on Wednesday appeared to have energised many opponents on Thursday. In addition, 441 members of the security forces were injured on the most violent day of protests since the start of the year against Macron’s bid to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

France has postponed the highly symbolic state visit by the UK's King Charles III that was due to begin on Sunday because of the escalating protest movement ...

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France joins a growing list of states that say TikTok lacks sufficient levels of cybersecurity and data protection.

There’s no evidence that TikTok has turned over such data, but fears abound due to the vast amount of user data it collects. The company has been reiterating that 60 percent of ByteDance is owned by global institutional investors. “In order to guarantee the cybersecurity of our administrations and civil servants, the government has decided to ban recreational applications such as TikTok on the professional phones of civil servants,” Stanislas Guerini said on Friday.

PARIS: Violent pension reform protests in France led to the postponement Friday of King Charles III's trip to the country, highlighting the growing security ...

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Saturday's papers lead on protests in France and the King's cancelled meeting with Emmanuel Macron.

The Telegraph called it the "beginning of the end" of asylum hotels, which are being used to house more than 50,000 migrants at a cost of nearly £7m a day. Senior teachers tell the paper that "Ofsted's punishing inspection regime" is driving them out of the profession. The Sun is reporting that the former prime minister, Liz Truss, has nominated four of her closest political allies, who backed her mini-budget, for peerages, despite serving as PM for just 49 days and sparking a market meltdown. The paper thinks the decision has left the UK's "reset" with the EU in "disarray". The paper say Mr Macron has been mocked over what it calls his "Marie Antoinette moment" - as he hid his "£2,100 watch" during a television interview. The royal tour is axed after fears for the safety of the King, declares

Here, seven people in France share their views on pension reform and the protests. 'I'm not averse to changing the system'. “The system is fed by the ...

The population is getting older and there are fewer people to finance the system. “The anger is not going to go away. “I was at the protest in Avignon [on Thursday] morning and it was peaceful. “For me it’s not about the pension reform any more. “There was no democratic process in the way it was done – we feel very looked down on. [Many] people feel democracy is very broken – that’s why there was low turnout at the last election. “The problem is not raising the pension age per se. “The reforms are not fair to people who have physically demanding jobs and women who may take time off work for parenting and will now have to work for longer. It’s about the system of governance. Had there been a conservative government in place, the new law would have been considerably tougher. “I have attended all the protests in my city since February, although I’m nine months pregnant. I’m not averse to changing the system but it should have been done with more consultation.

As France frets about an extended drought and prospects for more wildfires in another long summer, one blaze that erupted eight months ago in the southwest ...

For the past few years, there has been a push for planting more hardwood trees, such as oak or birch. "It's going to be exceptionally costly, and so far we have zero." Columns of white, acrid smoke rise from a forest floor outside the town of Hostens in the Gironde region, south of Bordeaux. "Now, it's the desert. It looks like the moon, it's dreadful." "It's been burning since mid-July," said Guillaume Carnir, who works for France’s National Forest Agency (ONF).

As France frets about an extended drought and prospects for more wildfires in another long summer, one blaze that erupted eight months ago in the southwest.

For the past few years, there has been a push for planting more hardwood trees, such as oak or birch. “It’s going to be exceptionally costly, and so far we have zero.” The smell of burning tires is caused by the brown coal in the area’s peaty soil which is fueling the fire underground. “Now, it’s the desert. For months now, Berges has been busy salvaging what he could from forests ravaged by wildfires. But he said that shouldn’t stop forest actors from bringing in a diversity that will help protect the forest from parasites and risks of fire spreading. Jean-Marc Bonedeau, head of Planfor nursery, told Reuters over the phone that he has seen a drop of “classic” forest varieties in orders, not in volume but in proportion: “The maritime pine is a champion in all categories in terms of wood production, and even adaptation to the environment we have, with the strong variations in drought, the very draining soils,” explained ONF agent Carnir. It looks like the moon, it’s dreadful.” Columns of white, acrid smoke rise from a forest floor outside the town of Hostens in the Gironde region, south of Bordeaux. “To this date, we don’t have a clear answer as to how to stop it.” [extended drought ](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/08/04/Wildfires-burn-second-biggest-area-on-record-in-Europe)and prospects for more wildfires in another long summer, one blaze that erupted eight months ago in the southwest of the country still smolders away underground.

French security forces again clashed with protesters Saturday as campaigners sought to stop the construction of reservoirs for the agricultural industry in ...

The protest movement against the pension reform have turned into the biggest domestic crisis of Macron's second mandate, with daily clashes in the streets of Paris and other cities between police and protesters. Around the construction site, defended by the police, violent clashes quickly broke out between the security forces and radical militants, AFP correspondents said. Sainte-Soline (France) (AFP) – French security forces again clashed with protesters Saturday as campaigners sought to stop the construction of reservoirs for the agricultural industry in the southwest of the country, AFP correspondents said.

Grandeur of royal couple's visit amid protests would have been 'bad idea', says Lord Ricketts.

In a statement on Friday, Buckingham Palace said: “The king and the queen consort’s state visit to France has been postponed. “Not only because of security but because it wouldn’t have been the best conditions. So, as it turned out, the circumstances were not right, in which case it is right to postpone.” There was concern protesters would target the Palace of Versailles, where a dinner was due to be held. That had all kinds of echoes from the past going back to the revolution. A visit could instead take place at the start of the summer.

French police have clashed with protesters who are opposed to the creation of a large water reservoir for farm irrigation in the rural district of ...

The government had deployed over 3,000 police for the demonstration, according to the Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. The debate over water resources in the European Union’s biggest agricultural sector has been sharpened by the events. At least two police vehicles caught fire during the clashes.

Demonstrators in the Deux-Sèvres region called for a halt to construction of reservoirs for farmers.

[experienced](https://www.bfmtv.com/environnement/climat/secheresse-hivernale-des-cartes-montrent-l-etendue-inedite-du-phenomene-en-france_AN-202303030473.html) one of the worst winter droughts in recent years. Béchu also said that France's new water-management plan, which will lay down measures to save water and address drought, has been "finalized and will be presented next week." This led to several people being injured and two police cars being burned, France3 [reported](https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/nouvelle-aquitaine/deux-sevres/niort/direct-grand-rassemblement-anti-bassines-des-25-et-26-mars-dans-les-deux-sevres-2738778.html). But activists say water is a common good and farmers are "stealing" the resource, adding that they should be taking steps to transition toward less water-intensive and more sustainable agricultural practices. The reservoirs are designed to help farmers faced with more frequent droughts brought on by climate change. Another 15 such reservoirs are planned to be built in the region.

French security forces again clashed with protesters Saturday as campaigners sought to stop the construction of reservoirs for the agricultural industry in ...

The scenes in France have sparked astonishment abroad. "I will not give up on acting. Twenty-four members of the security forces were wounded, one very seriously, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. Seven protesters were wounded, also one very seriously. Several protesters and members of security forces were wounded in the clashes around Sainte-Soline as campaigners sought to stop the construction of reservoirs for the agricultural industry. [Emmanuel Macron](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/emmanuel-macron/)'s [pension reform](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/pension-reform/) that prompted the cancellation of a visit by [King Charles III](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/king-charles-iii/) of the UK.

Massive mobilizations rocked France on Thursday, March 23. Workers have given an ultimatum to French President Emmanuel Macron demanding that his government ...

According to estimates by unions, around 3.5 million people hit the streets on March 23 Workers have given an ultimatum to French President Emmanuel Macron demanding that his government withdraw the pension reform that was passed without a vote in parliament. Massive mobilizations rocked France on Thursday, March 23.

Several people have been injured after clashes between French police and protesters opposed to a large water reservoir for farm irrigation, despite a ban on ...

Thousands of protesters had converged on the site of the planned reservoir, where a similar protest last October also turned violent. At least three police vehicles were set alight, television footage showed. Several people have been injured after clashes between French police and protesters opposed to a large water reservoir for farm irrigation, despite a ban on gatherings in the area.

The protest movement against the pension reform has turned into the biggest domestic crisis of Macron's second mandate, with police and protesters clashing ...

That would have fallen on the second full day of Charles's visit. The recent scenes in France have sparked astonishment abroad. At Sainte-Soline, several protesters and members of security forces were injured in Saturday's confrontations at the banned protest. In addition, 28 gendarmes were injured, two of them badly enough that they had to be hospitalised. Macron has refused to offer concessions, saying in a televised interview Wednesday that the changes needed to "come into force by the end of the year". "Chaos reigns in France," said the Times of London above a picture of rubbish piling up.

It's the stuff of nightmares for those who promote the new, dynamic France: Giant mounds of stinking garbage bags overflow from bins near the Notre-Dame ...

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