Thousands of Citizens Take to the Streets in Various Cities Across France

Thousands of citizens have taken to the streets in various cities across France today to express their protest against raising the pension age. This is reported by RIA Novosti, citing French media.

This is already the second nationwide protest against the increase in the pension age, with a total of 200 demonstrations planned across the country.

In the city of Rennes, located in western France, clashes have already begun between protesters and police during demonstrations attended by several thousand people. Participants in the protests include radicals from the black bloc movement, who are burning garbage bins and throwing bottles at police. In response, law enforcement has deployed tear gas and water cannons.

In Nantes, authorities have also used tear gas. Police estimate that 1.2 million people will participate in protests across France, including 100,000 in the capital.

On January 10, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne introduced a controversial bill for pension reforms, which the government plans to adopt in 2023. She stated that authorities will start raising the pension age by three months annually beginning September 1, 2023, leading to a pension age of 64 by 2030.