French President Emmanuel Macron was interrupted by protesters in The Hague on Tuesday who asked him “where is French democracy” as he prepared to deliver a speech on the future of Europe, AFP reported.

“Where is French democracy?”, “The climate convention is not being followed,” shouted protesters from the stands, unfurling a banner that read in English “President of violence and hypocrisy.”

“You have millions of demonstrators in the streets,” they shouted, in the context of the fact that the French government has been the target of a very strong challenge since the beginning of the year to the pension reform, with which it wants to raise the retirement age. from 62 to 64 years old.

Macron’s reaction after the interruption

“It is very important to have a social debate,” the French head of state replied when he was able to speak again after a minute’s break.

“I can answer all the questions about what we are discussing in France,” “this is democracy, and democracy is exactly the place where we can demonstrate” and see “this type of intervention,” he emphasized.

But “the day you say to yourself ‘when I don’t agree with a law passed or elected people can do what I want because I decide the legitimacy of what I do,’ you will put democracy in jeopardy. Emmanuel Macron continued.

He continued his speech on European economic policy and returned to his pension reform.

“When I make a comparison” with other European countries, the French “should be less angry with me,” he emphasized, “because in your country” the retirement age is “much higher, and in many European countries it is much higher.” more than 64 years,” Macron insisted, according to News.ro.