Strike action over Macron’s pensions plan brings major disruption to France

Thousands expected to demonstrate against government proposal to raise retirement age to 64

Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to take part in street demonstrations across France in a second round of coordinated strike action against Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular plan to raise the retirement age to 64.

Transport, schools and the energy sector were hit by industrial action on Tuesday. Local buses, trains and trams in cities from Paris to Nice, as well as regional and high-speed trains across the country, were “very significantly disrupted”, according to rail operators.