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January 11, 2020: Clashes took place today in Paris during the new 38th day of protest against the pension reform. According to the Le Parisien website, rubbish bins were set on fire and objects were thrown at law enforcement agencies who responded by throwing tear gas.

The French government has meanwhile announced the "provisional" withdrawal from the pension reform bill to the point that created more problems with the unions, the establishment of an equilibrium age of 64 to obtain a full rate pension.

The unrest occurred despite the fact that yesterday, at the end of a day of negotiations, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said he was ready to make an offer to the unions which he said could be a basis for a compromise. The premier is trying to find common ground with major unions, such as the Cfdt confederation which, together with its allies, has indicated that the government must withdraw the key proposal to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.

According to Philippe, the government remains determined to replace the current 42 different pension systems with a single national system, the cornerstone of President Emmanuel Macron's plan. And the premier insists on a timetable that should lead to the approval of the reform on January 24 to the Council of Ministers, to arrive in Parliament in mid-February and enter into force for the summer. The most extremist unions took to the streets today for the fifth day in a row. But the orchestrals of the Paris Opera, who with the pension reform would lose many of their privileges, who have apologized to the public for the cancellation of today's concert, which also happened in recent weeks, have also crossed their arms. According to official estimates, today about 452 thousand French people have returned to protest against the reform.