Thousands March In Nationwide Protest Over Pension Reforms In France

Doctors and lawyers in France joined nationwide protests and strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reforms. The protests, which have been ongoing for several days, aim to oppose the unification of France's 42 pension schemes into a single point-based system and the increase of the retirement age from 62 to 64. Railway strikes have persisted for 36 days, significantly impacting the country. The Interior Ministry reported over 452,000 demonstrators nationwide, with 56,000 in Paris alone. Clashes between protesters and police resulted in 24 detentions. Further negotiations and demonstrations are planned.

Who joined the nationwide protests against the pension reforms?

• Doctors and lawyers

• Engineers and architects

• Farmers and fishermen

• Teachers and students

How many days had the railway strikes been ongoing as of the report?

• 20 days

• 30 days

• 36 days

• 40 days

Approximately how many demonstrators participated in the protests nationwide?

• 1,000,000

• 452,000

• 600,000

• 200,000

What is one of the main changes proposed in Macron's pension reform?

• Reducing the number of working hours per week

• Unifying pension schemes into a single system

• Increasing pension benefits by 20%

• Lowering the retirement age to 60

What is the unions' main argument against the proposed pension reforms?

• It would decrease job opportunities

• It would increase taxes

• It would force people to work longer for lower pensions

• It would lead to inflation