France Unbowed Takes Aim at Pension Reforms

France's leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party will take new legislative steps to scrap President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms and reverse the retirement age increase. The reforms, aimed at protecting state finances and boosting productivity, faced violent protests. LFI's bill needs broader lawmaker support to pass.

In a significant political move, France’s leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party is set to introduce new legislation to dismantle President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reforms. The party aims to reverse the retirement age increase from 62 to 64, LFI's chief lawmaker announced on Tuesday.

Mathilde Panot, who heads France Unbowed in the lower house, stated on France Inter radio, "We will, today, put down a legal proposition to cancel the pension reforms." The reforms had ignited widespread street protests last year, driven by worker opposition.

LFI’s proposed bill, which is unlikely to be voted on before September, requires support from lawmakers beyond the New Popular Front left-wing coalition to pass. Notably, the right-wing National Rally party has also campaigned for reducing the retirement age, while Macron’s centrist bloc and other center-right politicians oppose the move.