Protesters in Ganges, France, clashed with police officers and managed to force a barrage of gendarmes who responded with tear gas. Emmanuel Macron enacted parts of his pension reform last week, sparking more violence after weeks of demonstrations.
The French leader visited eastern France on Wednesday, in a bid to put the furor caused by the pension change behind him. Raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 has ignited a months-long firestorm of protest in France.
But he was forced to brave hecklers who shouted for him to resign.
The uproarious climate of discontent threatens Macron’s ability to get some other planned policies through in the remaining four years of his second and last term. He got to see first-hand how unhappy people still are when he mingled among a crowd in the town of Selestat.
One man who shook his hand didn’t hold back and told Macron that his government is “corrupt” — a claim that Macron immediately denied.
“You’ll soon fall! You’ll see,” the man said.
More to follow…
