Hundreds of thousands of French have taken to the streets of Paris and other major cities in protest of President Emmanuel Macron’s changes to the French pension system. Under the new system, retirement age rises from 62 to 64. In a country where everyone receives a state pension and with demographics shifting to an aging population with a longer life expectancy, Macron’s government says that the changes are necessary for the program to remain viable. The protests have included nationwide strikes in transportation, schools and other basic services disrupting everyday life in France.
