Macron signs unpopular pension reform into law

French President Emmanuel Macron has signed his unpopular pension reform into law, prompting accusations from unions and the left that he was showing "contempt" for those behind a three-month protest movement.The amendments became law after the text was published before dawn in France’s official journal, with the livid opposition claiming that Macron had moved to smuggle it through under cover of night.The publication came just hours after the approval on Friday by the Constitutional Council of the essence of the legislation, including the headline change of raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.The standoff with unions and the left has become the biggest challenge of the second mandate of Macron, who will now address France on the crisis tomorrow evening, the Elysee presidential palace said.Trade unions called for mass Labour Day protests on May 1, and sometimes violent demonstrations erupted in several cities including Paris overnight after the court verdict was announced.Socialist leader Olivier Faure said Macron’s swift signing of the law showed "disdain" towards the protest movement while hard-left MP Francois Ruffin called it a "democratic hold-up"."A law enacted in the middle of the night, like thieves," tweeted French Communist Party chief Fabien Roussel. "Everyone on the street May 1.""Macron tried to intimidate all of France in the middle of the night," tweeted hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, calling Macron a "thief of life" who showed an "absurd display of arrogance".The CGT union leader Sophie Binet called the move "totally shameful".Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne vowed yesterday that the government would press ahead with more reforms."We are determined to accelerate" the pace of reforms, she told the national council of Macron’s Renaissance party."We want to build a France of full employment ... to guarantee equal opportunity," she said.The western city of Rennes was again the scene of clashes yesterday afternoon as police used tear gas on projectile-throwing protesters, AFP correspondents said.A bank was damaged while radical protesters also stormed the lobby of a luxury hotel. One policeman was injured and eight people arrested.The nine-member Constitutional Council ruled in favour of key provisions of the pension reform, including raising the retirement age to 64 and extending the years of work required for a full pension, saying the legislation is in accordance with French law.Six minor proposals were rejected, including forcing large companies to publish how many over-55s they employ, and the creation of a special contract for older workers.The appearance of the text in France’s Official Journal – the gazette of record – means that it has now been enacted into law.However, the constitutional court’s decision could prove a hollow victory for Macron, as analysts say it has come at a major personal cost for the 45-year-old.The president’s approval ratings are near their lowest levels ever, and many voters have been outraged by his decision to ram the pensions law through parliament without a vote, using a legal but controversial mechanism denounced as anti-democratic.Polls show that two out of three people are against working a further two years.Macron has called the change "necessary" to avoid annual pension deficits forecast to hit €13.5bn ($14.8bn) by 2030, according to government figures.Unions say extra funding can be found elsewhere, including by taxing the rich more heavily, to preserve what is a cornerstone of France’s social protection model.France lags behind most of its European neighbours, many of which have hiked the retirement age to 65 or above.Opposition parties have tabled another bid for a citizens’ referendum on the reform after the Constitutional Council on Friday rejected a first such proposal.