France Deploys , Thousands of Police , as Widespread Protests Continue .<br />'The Independent' reports that French protestors <br />have continued to march against President <br />Emmanuel Macron's deeply contentious pension bill. .<br />'The Independent' reports that French protestors <br />have continued to march against President <br />Emmanuel Macron's deeply contentious pension bill. .<br />The widely unpopular pension bill <br />would see the retirement age in <br />France pushed back two years. .<br />The government also rejected demands <br />by union leaders that the government <br />reconsider the bill, deepening the crisis.<br />After rejecting union demands, the government said that <br />it would stand firm on the pension bill and push <br />back the age of retirement for millions of people.<br />After rejecting union demands, the government said that <br />it would stand firm on the pension bill and push <br />back the age of retirement for millions of people.<br />We have proposed a way out <br />... and it's intolerable that we <br />are being stonewalled again, Laurent Berger, Head of the CFDT union, via 'The Independent'.<br />'The Independent' reports that Macron claims the changes are <br />necessary to keep France's finances in balance, while critics <br />counter that other approaches could achieve the same goal.<br />'The Independent' reports that Macron claims the changes are <br />necessary to keep France's finances in balance, while critics <br />counter that other approaches could achieve the same goal.<br />The protests, which began back <br />in January, have evolved into <br />widespread anti-Macron sentiment.<br />This sentiment intensified after <br />the government invoked special powers to <br />pass the bill without a parliamentary vote.<br />According to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, authorities have anticipated a "very serious risk to public order" amid the ongoing unrest.<br />'The Independent' reports that 13,000 police will be <br />deployed to quell nationwide protests that have <br />already included clashes with police and vandalism.
