French Government's Pension Reform Sparks Protests and Clashes.

Protests erupted in Paris after the French government invoked article 49:3 of the constitution to force through pension reforms without a vote in parliament, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. The move caused fury among opposition politicians, with a no-confidence motion set to be filed against President Emmanuel Macron's government. Thousands of people came out on the streets of Paris and other French cities to reject the move, with some protesters clashing with police. Unions vowed to maintain their opposition to the pension changes, with another day of strikes and demonstrations planned for Thursday 23 March.