The strong opposition to Emmanuel Macron’s proposed reform of the pension system, notably raising for most people the age of retirement on full pension rights from 62 to 64, continued on Wednesday, with another day of nationwide protests, the eighth in succession. As the reform reaches its final passage in parliament, the French president and his government insist that the reform was at the centre of his manifesto for re-election last year, and was therefore supported and legitimized by the electorate. But Mediapart can reveal that a series of opinion polls commissioned by Macron’s election campaign team belie the claim. Christophe Gueugneau and Antton Rouget report.
Ever since the beginning of the protest movement against Emmanuel Macron’s proposed reform of the pension system, he, his government and their allies have insisted that the measure was at the heart of his manifesto during his re-election campaign last year, and was therefore supported by a majority of voters.
