France has seen a second wave of protests and strikes against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Anti-government corteges were as loud and as big, if not louder and bigger than on the first day of action.
The interior ministry said more than 1.27 million people protested, a higher figure than 12 days ago.
Eight key unions took part in the strike, which disrupted schools, public transport and oil refineries.
At 62, France’s retirement age is lower than most other countries in Western Europe. Italy, Germany and Spain have moved towards raising the official retirement age to 67, while in the UK it is 66.
I – Word Understanding
Cortege – a group of people
II – Have Your Say
1, What is the pension system in your country? How satisfied are you with this system?
What would you like to be changed or improved?
2, What do you think is the ideal age to retire?
3, Have you thought about your retirement? What do you hope to do when you retire?
