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France

Unions hail success of first weekend pension protest

Unions claim to have brought almost three million people across France onto the streets on Saturday, for their latest day of rallies against the government's plans to raise the national retirement age. But while organisers maintain that participation was just as high as for the last day of action two weeks ago, the Interior Ministry says that turnout had fallen by several thousand.

Reuters
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The CFDT union put the total number of protestors at "around 2.9 million" at 229 rallies across the country, said deputy leader Marcel Grignard.

The official estimate was significantly lower: just 899,000 nationwide, according to the Interior Ministry.

Heavy rain in the west of France is believed to have put some people off.

At the largest demonstration, in Paris, the CFDT says some 310,000 took part. Police say the figure was more like 63,000.

Estimates for other cities also vary. Unions say rallies in Marseille, Bordeaux and Toulouse each attracted over 100,000 people, while police put the numbers at between 19,000 and 28,000.

The unions had been keen to prove that support for their protests was growing. The weekend protest was designed to attract private-sector employees and small-business owners unable or unwilling to participate in weekday strikes.

The pension reform bill has already been passed by the lower house of parliament. On 5 October it goes to the upper house, where it is expected to pass easily.

Unions are planning another round of strikes on 12 October.

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