France in Turmoil as Pension Reform Sparks Protests and Anger

Hundreds of people protested against the new law raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 during a visit by President Emmanuel Macron in Ganges, France. Macron's government used a special constitutional power to pass the reform without a vote in parliament, which further infuriated opponents. The CGT union has called for scattered protest actions across the country. Macron argues that raising the retirement age is needed to keep the French pension system afloat amid an aging population, while unions and other opponents say wealthy taxpayers or companies should pitch in more instead.