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Over 230 people detained in Paris during pension reform protests, police say

The reform plan, which raises the age of retirement from 62 to 64 and abolishes a number of special pension programs in order to ensure the financial stability of the country’s social system, was introduced in January

© AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard

PARIS, March 21. /TASS/. More than 230 people were detained during protests against the French government’s pension reform plan in Paris on Monday, the city’s police said on Tuesday.

According to the police, over 2,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed to ensure law and order. Still, riots and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers could not be avoided. As many as 11 police personnel suffered injuries while dispersing aggressive protesters.

The reform plan, which raises the age of retirement from 62 to 64 and abolishes a number of special pension programs in order to ensure the financial stability of the country’s social system, was introduced in January. The proposed changes immediately sparked numerous protests. On March 16, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the adoption of a pension reform bill without a parliament vote and under the government’s authority. Trade unions and opposition parties condemned the cabinet’s move and called for more demonstrations across the country.

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