Macron defends pensions reform in address

French President Emmanuel Macron defended the pensions reform in a nationwide TV address on Monday evening but said he regretted that no consensus had been found on the change.

The 15-minute speech came two days after Macron signed the pensions reform into law on Saturday morning after the country's Constitutional Council endorsed the major change of raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 while striking down some minor measures.

Macron said that he understood the "anger" felt by the French people over the raising of the retirement age. And he admitted that increasing prices and certain jobs "don't allow many French to live well".

But he argued that the pensions reform is "necessary" in order to "guarantee everyone's pension" and said that "doing nothing" was not a solution.

"Gradually working more means also producing more wealth for our whole country," he said from Elysee Palace.

"Has this reform been accepted? Obviously not. And despite months of consultations, no consensus could be found and I regret it," said Macron.

The pensions reform, which was introduced in January as a signature move in Macron's second term in office, has been opposed by about two-thirds of French and has triggered protests and riots in the past months.

Macron expressed that "no one, especially not me, can remain deaf to this demand for social justice", adding that "the answer can be neither in rigidity nor in extremism" and "the door will always be open" for talks with the trade unions.

Macron announced talks in the coming months about "key issues" such as improving employees' income, improving working conditions, better sharing of wealth and pushing professional careers forward.

The country's major unions have called an unprecedented protest on May 1, International Workers' Day, and have also refused Macron's invitation to talk on Tuesday, saying they will only meet Macron after May 1.

As Macron was making his speech, protesters responded to a call by banging pots and pans in Paris as a show of their disapproval.

Local authorities in Dijon and Marseille have banned opponents' gatherings, citing a risk of "public disorder".

A poll released by the Morning Consult Political Intelligence on April 13 showed Macron's approval rating at 23 percent and disapproval rate at 73 percent, with 4 percent expressing no opinion.

On Saturday, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the government would move ahead with more reforms now that the pensions law has been enacted.

chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn