The French government on Monday said it would move forward with a pension reform plan that has been met with fierce opposition from unions, left-wing parties and the general public.
The plan envisages raising the retirement age gradually from the current 62 to 64 by 2030 and increasing the number of years needed to pay into the system to obtain a full pension from 42 now to 43.
All people in retirement in France receive a state pension — currently around €1,400 ($1,500) per month on average — funded by contributions from those still in the workforce.
The system is now in jeopardy owing to the aging population, with more and more retirees and fewer and fewer contributors.
More than a million people took to the streets nationwide on Thursday in sometimes violent protests…
