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France Faces Strikes Over Pension Overhaul


Protesters hold flares during a demonstration against French government's pension reform plan in Saint-Nazaire as part of a day of national strike and protests in France, Jan. 19, 2023.
Protesters hold flares during a demonstration against French government's pension reform plan in Saint-Nazaire as part of a day of national strike and protests in France, Jan. 19, 2023.

Workers striking in protest of France’s proposed pension overhauls disrupted transportation, schools and electricity supplies Thursday.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government has proposed raising the retirement age for a full pension from 62 to 64, saying the move is necessary to keep the system solvent.

Unions oppose the change and have suggested a tax on the super wealthy as an alternative course.

Train service and some flights were canceled Thursday. Seventy percent of preschool and primary school teachers said they planned to not work, while electricity workers said they would reduce supplies in protest of the proposed changes.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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