The French government passed the pension reform on Monday despite protests and demands from unions, but it must now be approved by the Paris parliament, AFP and Agerpres reported.

Unionists plan to step up their mobilization efforts against the central project of the administration led by President Emmanuel Macron, while the government has shown its determination not to bow to pressure, the agency said.

The Council of Ministers recorded the categorical refusal of Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt to abandon the increase of the retirement age from 62 to 64 years, which is the most controversial of the reform measures.

“Returning to this point would mean refusing to rebalance the system,” he declared.

All trade unions and most of the opposition are against raising the retirement age, which according to polls even the majority of French citizens do not want.

Last Thursday, between one and two million protesters took to the streets against the reform, with the government and unions giving conflicting figures.

The next wave of demonstrations is announced for January 31.

Macron wants a quick adoption of the pension system reform in parliament

Meanwhile, President Macron and the government are reiterating their aim to speed up parliamentary debate so that legislative changes can come into effect this summer.

On Sunday, the head of state said that he had already demonstrated “openness”, as his program for the second five-year presidential term actually included raising the retirement age to 65.

France currently has one of the lowest retirement ages in Europe, AFP recalls, but notes that pension systems are not fully comparable.

Germans, Belgians or Spaniards can retire at 65, and Danes at 67, according to the French NGO Center for European and International Social Security Relations.

The government in Paris decided to extend the opening hours to end the financial imbalance of retirement homes and as a response to an aging population.