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Associated Press

Strikes disrupted weekend travel around France on Saturday as truckers blocked motorways and most trains remained at a standstill because of worker anger at President Emmanuel Macron’s policies.
Tourists and shoppers faced closed subway lines around Paris and near-empty train stations as a mass movement against the government’s plan to redesign the national retirement system entered a third day.
Other groups are joining the fray, too.

Truckers striking over a fuel tax hike disrupted traffic on motorways from Provence in the southeast to Normandy in the northwest.
Meanwhile, yellow vest protesters are planning their weekly demonstrations over economic injustice on Saturday.
The travel chaos is not deterring the government. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe plainly told the French in a nationwide address Friday: “You’re going to have to work longer.”
He will present details of the plan next week. The government says it will not raise the official retirement age of 62 but the plan is expected to encourage people to work longer.
Philippe did offer one olive branch, saying the changes would be progressive so that they do not become “brutal”.
Strike brings France to standstill as hundreds of thousands take to streets
Macron says the reform, which will streamline a convoluted system of 42 special pension plans, will make the system more fair and financially sustainable.
Unions see the plan as a threat to hard-fought workers’ rights, and are digging in for what they hope is a protracted strike.
They also plan new nationwide retirement protests on Tuesday.


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France

France faces weekend travel chaos as strikes over pension reform, fuel tax continue

Trucks block the A63 highway during a national strike over a planned rise of fuel taxes for haulage companies, joining another strike over pension reforms. Photo: AFP

TOPSHOT - A picture taken on December 6, 2019 shows the gate of a closed metro line station in Paris during a strike of Paris public transports operator RATP over French government's plan to overhaul the country's retirement system as part of a national general strike. - Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to French President's sweeping reform drive. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP)

France faces another day of transport chaos as strike over pension reforms continues

A demonstrator raises a fist while protesting during a national strike in Paris on Thursday. Photo: Bloomberg

A protester wearing a mask is seen amongst smoke as French Labour unions members demonstrate against French government's pensions reform plans in Marseille as part of a day of national strike and protests in France, December 5, 2019. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A demonstrator holds a French flag in front of riot police while protesting during a national strike in Paris, France, on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. In what has been the undoing of previous French governments, unions representing everyone from transport workers to lawyers, doctors, teachers and students are going on an indefinite "greve," or strike, starting Thursday to oppose Macron's plan to reform the country's pension system. Photographer: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg

Demonstrators gather and wave flags while protesting during a national strike in Paris, France, on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. In what has been the undoing of previous French governments, unions representing everyone from transport workers to lawyers, doctors, teachers and students are going on an indefinite "greve," or strike, starting Thursday to oppose Macron's plan to reform the country's pension system. Photographer: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg

People run away from team gas during a demonstration in Paris, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. The Eiffel Tower shut down, France's high-speed trains stood still and tens of thousands of people marched through Paris and other cities Thursday, in a massive and sometimes chaotic outpouring of anger at the government's plan to overhaul the retirement system. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)

France’s Emmanuel Macron laments Nato’s ‘brain death’ as Donald Trump’s US ‘turns its back on us’

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at a press conference during the Nato summit in Brussels in July 2018. Photo: Reuters

07 November 2019, Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hold a joint press conference following their meeting in the Federal Chancellery. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

President Donald Trump listens to a question as he speaks in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Who killed Steve? Emotions run high in France as protesters clash with police

Police use water canons against protesters in Nantes, France. Photo: EPA

A woman pays her respects as she stands on a pier on the Loire river, on July 31, 2019, in Nantes, western France, where the body of 24-year-old Steve Maia Canico, who disappeared over a month ago during a police raid on a music festival, had been found in the river two days before. - Steve Maia Canico went missing on the night of June 21-22 after officers in the western city of Nantes moved in to disperse techno music fans attending a free concert as part of France's national music celebration day. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP)

epa07755258 Riot mobile gendarmes are deployed during a rally in central Nantes, France, 03 August 2019, called in memory of Steve Maia Canico. The 24-year-old Frenchman, who disappeared after falling in the river following a police raid on a music festival, was found in the Loire river on 30 July. He went missing on the night of June 21-22 after police officers in the western city of Nantes raided a free concert held as part of France's national music celebration day. His death has led to a public outcry and accusations that the police used excessive force in dispersing the crowds. EPA-EFE/THIBAULT VANDERMERSCH

epa07755282 Anti-criminality brigade (BAC) police officers during a demonstration in Nantes, France, 03 August 2019, called in memory of Steve Maia Canico. The 24-year-old Frenchman, who disappeared after falling in the river following a police raid on a music festival, was found in the Loire river on 30 July. He went missing on the night of June 21-22 after police officers in the western city of Nantes raided a free concert held as part of France's national music celebration day. His death has led to a public outcry and accusations that the police used excessive force in dispersing the crowds. EPA-EFE/THIBAULT VANDERMERSCH

A mural depicting Steve Maia Canico, who drowned following a violent clash between police and people attending a music festival. Photo: EPA

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Truck drivers have blocked motorways and trains are stationary, while yellow vest protesters are planning a demonstration
There is widespread anger over President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to redesign the national retirement system



Truck drivers have blocked motorways and trains are stationary, while yellow vest protesters are planning a demonstration.


Emmanuel Macron