Clashes between demonstrators and police broke out in Rennes, France, as protests continue over French President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform bill, which hikes the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Macron imposed the highly unpopular bill on Thursday by shunning parliament and invoking a special constitutional power.
Lawmakers were shouting, their voices shaking with emotion as Macron made the risky move, which is expected to trigger quick motions of no-confidence in his government. Riot police vans zoomed by outside the National Assembly, their sirens wailing.
The proposed pension changes have prompted major strikes and protests across the country since January. Macron, who made it the flagship of his second term, argued the reform is needed to keep the pension system from diving into deficit as France's population ages and life expectancy lengthens.
The decision to invoke the special power was made during a Cabinet meeting at the Elysee presidential palace, just a few minutes before the scheduled vote, because Macron had no guarantee of a majority in France's lower house of parliament.
Marine Le Pen said her far-right National Rally party would file a no-confidence motion, and Communist lawmaker Fabien Roussel said such a motion is "ready" on the left.
The French leader wants to raise the retirement age so workers put more money into the system, which the government says is on course to run a deficit.
www.voanews.com/a/macron-shuns-parliament-to-raise-french-retirement-age/7008395.html
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