Protests Erupt, Hundreds Detained , After France Raises Retirement Age.<br />On March 16, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced that President Emmanuel Macron would use special constitutional powers to push through the proposed pension reform bill.<br />On March 16, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced that President Emmanuel Macron would use special constitutional powers to push through the proposed pension reform bill.<br />It was not expected to <br />pass the National Assembly.<br />CNN reports that protests <br />have taken place throughout France, and <br />over 300 people have been detained so far.<br />Most of the arrests, 258, were <br />made on March 16 in Paris.<br />On March 17, demonstrators <br />blocked Paris' ring road in protest.<br />Some garbage workers have gone on strike, leaving the streets of Paris filled with trash.<br />Some garbage workers have gone on strike, leaving the streets of Paris filled with trash.<br />Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin <br />said he would direct police to <br />force some of them to return to work.<br />Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin <br />said he would direct police to <br />force some of them to return to work.<br />I respect the strike of the garbage collectors, however, what is not acceptable is unsanitary conditions, Gerald Darmanin, Interior Minister, via statement.<br />The French government maintains that <br />raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 <br />is necessary to safeguard pensions.<br />If we don’t do [the reforms] today, it’s much more brutal measures that we will have to do in future, Gabriel Attal, Budget Minister, via statement
