Over 1.2 Million People Reportedly Participate in Strikes Against Pension Reform in France

PARIS (Sputnik) - About 1.28 million people took part in the nationwide strike against pension reform in France on Tuesday, French media reported, citing police. In Paris alone, 81,000 people joined the strike, according to the police, the French broadcaster reported.

The leading French trade union, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), however, reported that the strike gathered 3.5 million protesters throughout the country, including 700,000 in Paris, the report noted.

The broadcaster said that 43 people were detained at demonstrations in the French capital.

In January, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne unveiled a draft of the controversial pension reform that the government plans to adopt in 2023. Under the initiative, the French authorities intend to gradually raise the retirement age in the country by three months a year from September 1, 2023. By 2030, the retirement age will reach 64.

The reform has caused a wave of protests in France. Since Borne's announcement, six nationwide demonstrations against the reform, including today's event, have already taken place. The second one became one of the most attended demonstration among the previous actions, gathering 1.272 million people.