Diners sitting outside at a café in the French city of Bordeaux enjoyed their wine not far from the glow of a raging fire lit by demonstrators protesting divisive pension reforms.
and calls for a new round of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's pension plan persuaded officials to postpone a planned state visit next week by Britain's King Charles III.
There were scattered protest actions on Friday. Train traffic was slowed, rows of trucks blocked access to Marseille’s port for several hours and debris littered the streets of Paris. Macron's plan involves multiple adjustments to France's complex pension system. It would also require French people to work 43 years to earn a full pension, or wait until they turn 67, as the law now calls for. Opponents have proposed other solutions, including higher taxes on the wealthy or companies.
It wouldn't be reasonable “to hold a state visit in the middle of protests,” the French leader told a news conference after a summit in Brussels. He said he took the initiative to call Charles on Friday morning, and that the visit likely would be rescheduled for the summer. “We are of course disappointed Charles won’t come now but we clearly understand why,” said Cecile Ha of the Bordeaux Wine Council. “We are looking forward to welcoming him at the end of summer, which is great time for the vineyards as they are very lively at this time of year before the harvests.”
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