The proposed pension reform would increase the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64. The proposed reforms will bring in about €17.7 billion ($19 billion) annually by 2030, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said at the press conference.
Starting in 2027, a person will have had to have worked for 43 years to receive full state pension benefits.
The strikes have also received support from many members of the public, who have expressed sympathy for the workers' cause and frustration with the government's handling of the situation.
An earlier attempt by Macron to revamp the pensions system was met with nationwide strikes in 2019 before being abandoned during the Covid-19 pandemic. Labour unions had already vowed to oppose the new law, and they reacted quickly to Tuesday’s announcement by calling for “a first day of strikes and protest”.
The strikes have caused significant disruptions to transportation and other services, with many trains and buses cancelled and subway and metro services running on reduced schedules.
Source: Le Monde, CNN