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December 23, 2019

French Unions Continue Strike over Holidays as Macron Refuses to Scrap Pension Overhaul
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French President Emmanuel Macron is asking unions for a Christmas
"truce" as the massive strike against Macron's proposed pension plan
heads into its third week.

President Emmanuel Macron: "Strikes are justifiable and protected by the
Constitution, but I think there are moments in a nation's life when it
is good to observe a truce out of respect for families and family life.
So I'm calling on everyone to have this sense of responsibility."

President Macron has also said he will give up his own presidential
pension as a concession to demonstrators who have launched nationwide
strikes over Macron's effort to overhaul the French pension system and
effectively raise the retirement age for younger workers. The unions
have ruled out a Christmas truce and are instead demanding Macron scrap
the pension overhaul.


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