Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

"Understood Anger": Macron Regrets No Consensus Found On France Pension Reform

"Understood Anger": Macron Regrets No Consensus Found On France Pension Reform

France Pension Reform Protest: Emmanuel Macron signed the legislation early Saturday, just hours after its banner change to hike the retirement age from 62 to 64 had been validated by the constitutional court.
President Emmanuel Macron on Monday staunchly defended his widely unpopular pension reform but said he regretted that no consensus had been found on the change.

Addressing France for the first time since signing the reform into law, Macron said he understood the "anger" felt by the French over the raising of the retirement age.

Macron signed the legislation early Saturday, just hours after its banner change to hike the retirement age from 62 to 64 had been validated by the constitutional court, prompting accusations he was smuggling the law through in the dead of night.

After three months of protests and strikes, the left and unions have vowed not to give in and warned of mass Labour Day protests on May 1.

Polls have consistently recorded a majority of French opposed to the reform, which the government rammed through parliament using a controversial mechanism to avoid a vote.

Speaking from the Elysee Palace, Macron defended the reform as "necessary" and insisted "doing nothing" was not a solution.

"Has this reform been accepted? Obviously not. And despite months of consultations, no consensus could be found and I regret it."

Noting the protests that have raged against the reform, he added: "No one, especially not me, can remain deaf to this demand for social justice."

"The answer can be neither in rigidity, nor in extremism," said the president, adding his "door will always be open" to talks with the unions.

Macron's personal popularity ratings have eroded with some analysts suggesting he has given a head start to far-right leader Marine Le Pen down the long path to 2027 elections.

'No point in listening'

Unions have meanwhile spurned an invitation to the Elysee for talks.

As the president spoke, thousands gathered outside town halls across France, banging saucepans in a bid to drown out the speech.

"He hasn't listened to us for three months. We're doing this to show there's no point in listening to him either," 57-year-old projectionist Benedicte Delgehier said in Paris.

After the speech, dozens joined a spontaneous protest in the capital, setting fire to garbage containers with police firing tear gas canisters to disperse them, AFP correspondents said.

Opponents from across the board said Macron's speech had only reinforced concerns about how the reform was handled.

"He chose to turn his back on the French and ignore their suffering," said far-right figurehead and former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said Macron was "totally out of touch with reality".

CFDT union leader Laurent Berger added that it contained "nothing concrete" for the labour movement and said Macron had "not uttered a word" on easing tensions.

Possibly more troublingly for the president, the head of the right-wing Republicans who supported the reform, Eric Ciotti, dismissed the speech as a "catalogue of pious wishes" and said Macron's "method had clearly not changed".

Macron said he had tasked his government led by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to lead 100 days of action "at the service of France".

'Within slapping range'

The prime minister should lay out a roadmap in the next days with the first results to be announced on France's national day on July 14, Macron said.

He promised "major announcements" during May including action against juvenile delinquency and also "reinforcing controls against illegal immigration".

Macron earlier had lunch with Borne, then met key figures from his party including ultra-loyal rising stars tipped for promotions such as Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, 36, and Budget Minister Gabriel Attal, 34.

But no cabinet reshuffle is planned in the near future, several sources close to the presidency told AFP.

The president, often consumed with diplomacy, will this week also make at least one trip within France after criticism that he is failing to connect with people.

"I want Macron to spend more time on the ground," said one cabinet minister, who asked not to be named. Even "within range of being slapped".

The crisis also comes at a time of increasing challenges on the international stage for Macron, who faced accusations of cosying up to China on a visit to Beijing.

Macron, 45, came to power in 2017 promising reform and a fresh new politics. But opponents accuse him of increasingly reclusive and anti-democratic behaviour.

"Emmanuel Macron is far from finished from having to deal with the social and political crisis, which he continues to dangerously stir up," said Le Monde newspaper in an editorial.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Street justice isn’t pretty but how else do you deal with this kind of insanity? Sometimes someone needs to standup and say something
Armenia and Azerbaijan sign U.S.-brokered accord at White House outlining transit link via southern Armenia
Barcelona Resolves Captaincy Issue with Marc-André ter Stegen
US Justice Department Seeks Release of Epstein and Maxwell Grand Jury Exhibits Amid Legal and Victim Challenges
Spain Scraps F-35 Jet Deal as Trump Pushes for More NATO Spending
France Faces Largest Wildfire Since 1949 as Blazes Rage Across Aude
French Senate Report Alleges State Cover‑Up in Perrier ‘Natural Mineral Water’ Scandal
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Britain's Online Safety Law Sparks Outcry Over Privacy, Free Speech, and Mass Surveillance
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Grok 4 Video plus Voice, can identify wildlife!
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
The UK Does Not Have a ‘Far-Right’ Problem
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
JD Vance Warns Europe Faces “Civilizational Suicide” Over Open Borders and Speech Limits
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
×