French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday reiterated that pension reform is "fundamental" for his country, noting that he feels the anger of the French who demonstrated against the project, in a position that opposition leaders saw as "a disconnect from reality."
In a televised address, Macron lamented the inability to reach a "consensus" on the implementation of the reform that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64.
The French president added, two days after the approval of the controversial pension reform, that "no one can remain deaf" to the anger of the demonstrators, pointing out that "the response cannot be in rigor or extremism," and stressed that "his door will always remain open" for talks with unions.
France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen said Macron was exercising power in a "unilateral and absurd" way, while radical left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said the president was "completely detached from reality".
Messages from anti-reform activists circulated on social media, calling for banging on pots and organizing rallies in front of municipal centers or local administrations in conjunction with the president's speech.
L'échauffement avant le concert de casseroles place Stanislas à Nancy #allocutionprésidentielle #ReformeDesRetraites pic.twitter.com/y55SgNlQXM
— France Bleu Sud Lorraine (@bleusudlorraine) April 17, 2023
France is one of the European countries with the lowest retirement age, although pension systems are not the same and cannot be fully compared.
Opponents of pension reform consider the amendment "unfair", especially for women and those working in difficult jobs.
Opinion polls also showed that the vast majority opposes raising the retirement age and that the government invoked Article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows it to pass the bill without a final vote in parliament.