Macron insists pension reforms are needed

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that he heard people’s anger over raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, but insisted that it was needed to keep the pension system afloat as the population ages.

In his speech, Macron said “these changes were needed to guarantee everyone’s pension,” after he enacted the law on Saturday. Macron stressed that no consensus has been found with unions and other political parties. Macron acknowledged “anger” over increasing prices and jobs that don’t “allow too many French people to live well.” The pension changes were enacted into law Saturday, the day after the country’s constitutional body rejected some parts of the legislation but approved the higher minimum retirement age.