"PARIS -- President Emmanuel Macron faced a rash of violent protests as demonstrators clashed with police over his use of constitutional powers to raise France's retirement age without Parliament's consent.
More than 740,000 people took to the streets Tuesday across France, the Interior Ministry said, in demonstrations that spiraled into violence in some cities. Protesters in Paris set trash on fire and threw projectiles at police, who responded by firing tear gas.
Tens of thousands of young people joined the demonstrations, injecting more volatility into a protest movement that shows no sign of letting up after more than two months.
Mr. Macron has refused to back down. Revamping the pension system -- the centerpiece of which is raising the retirement age to 64 from 62 by 2030 -- was one of the main planks of his re-election campaign last year.
The French leader says the measures are necessary to preserve the pension system without raising taxes or increasing the country's debt.
On Tuesday Mr. Macron's government mobilized 13,000 police officers, including 5,500 in Paris, in a bid to rein in the violence.
Protesters marched through Paris in a demonstration that was mostly peaceful before massing in Place de la Nation as night fell to square off with police. Trains and public transportation were severely curtailed and many schools were forced to shut. Hundreds of flights were canceled." [1]
1. World News: Pension Marches Escalate In France
Bisserbe, Noemie. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 29 Mar 2023: A.16.
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