Macron uses special powers to force through plan to raise pension age

The president, Emmanuel Macron, took a last-minute decision to avoid a parliamentary vote and instead push through his unpopular plan to raise the pension age from 62 to 64.

Minutes before MPs in the lower house were to vote, Macron was still holding a series of frantic meetings with senior political figures, and suddenly chose to use special powers instead of risking a vote, which he appeared poised to lose.

He opted to invoke article 49.3 of the constitution, which gives the government power to bypass parliament.

Police fired teargas and charged in an effort to disperse the crowd on Thursday night, as some protesters threw cobblestones. In several other French cities including Marseille there were also spontaneous protests against the reform.

Police have arrested 120 people in Paris, according to Le Figaro. A police officer was reportedly injured in one standoff with protestors and rioters.

French unions called for another day of strikes and action against the reform on Thursday 23 March.

The Communist MP Fabien Roussel called on street protesters and trade unionists to keep mobilising.

Polls show that two-thirds of French people oppose the pension changes.

Transport workers, energy workers, dockers, teachers and public sector workers, including museum staff, have held strikes in recent weeks. A continuing rubbish-collection strike and has led to more than 7,000 tonnes of waste building up across half of Paris.

Trade unions say the reform will penalise low-income people in manual jobs who tend to start their careers early, forcing them to work longer than graduates, who are less affected by the changes.

The government has argued that raising the retirement age, scrapping privileges for some public sector workers and toughening criteria for a full pension are needed to prevent big deficits building up.

The change would bring France into line with its European neighbours, most of which have raised the retirement age to 65 or older.