Macron defies opposition to raise French retirement age

The French government has passed a controversial bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, triggering protests and strikes across the country. President Emmanuel Macron will use special constitutional powers to enact the pension reform bill, which aims to balance the pension system's finances without raising taxes or cutting pensions. The government argues that the reform is necessary, but labor leaders and protesters disagree. France has one of the lowest retirement ages in the industrialized world and spends more than most other countries on pensions.