" A man is holding a placard reading ''Let's defend our pens..."

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11 February 2023

A man is holding a placard reading ''Let's defend our pension'' as France's labour unions and left parties lead a fourth wave of nationwide protests against President Emmanuel Macron's plans to make the French work longer before retirement. More than 40,000 people are protesting in Toulouse against the planned reform of the pension and retirement age to 64 from 62, a move that opinion polls show is opposed by a vast majority (93%) of workers already facing a cost-of-living crisis. The retirement age would be raised to 64 years (for 43 years of continued work) and the pensions would be lower, especially for women, people with ''short careers'' and those with low wages. The COR (Counsel of Pension Guidance), which depends on the Prime Minister's Office directly, said in its latest report on September 2022 that it sees no need to reform the pension system as its share in the French GDP will remain steady at least until 2070. Nearly all sectors' unions have called for this strike and protest: mining and energy, health, schooling sector, transportation, truck drivers, refining workers, bank workers, etc. Toulouse, France. February 11th, 2023.

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