French protesters hold more strikes over pension changes

By SYLVIE CORBET and JADE LE DELEY
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Public transportation, schools and electricity supplies have been disrupted in France as demonstrators take to the streets for a third round of nationwide strikes and protests against the government’s pension reform plans. Rail operator SNCF said train traffic was severely disrupted across the country. The demonstrations on Tuesday came a day after French lawmakers began debating a pension bill that would raise the minimum retirement from 62 to 64 by 2030. Tens of thousands of people marched in the cities of Nice, Marseille, Toulouse and Nantes, and in other places across the country. An afternoon protest was set to take place in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to go ahead with the changes.