France faces more protests over pension reform (Roundup)

Nov 9, 2010, 14:14 GMT

Paris - A ruling by the French constitutional court on Tuesday cleared the way for President Nicolas Sarkozy's new pension law as unions announced more strike action against the reforms.

The opposition had challenged the constitutionality of the pensions bill which gradually raises the retirement age for a minimum pension from 60 to 62, and from 65 to 67 for a full pension, by 2018.

But the Constitutional Council on Tuesday ruled that was not the case and approved the bill, opening the way for Sarkozy to sign it into law. The reforms are due to come into effect in mid-November.

Unions decided late Monday to hold another day of strikes on November 23.

Fewer people have taken part in recent protests and many French people believe further strike action to be useless.

At the height of the protests in October, several million people took part in strikes and demonstrations, all of the country`s 12 oil depots were blockaded and transport networks were severely disrupted.

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