Fourth time in less than a month French Citizens take to the streets to protest against the pension reform promoted by the presidential administration Emmanuel Macron.

“If we go over a million, it will be a success,” said Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT union.

The police, for their part, expect 600,000 to 800,000 people on the streets, of which 90,000 to 120,000 are in Paris.

Since the beginning of the mobilization against the reform, which is currently the subject of intense debate in the National Assembly, participation has been great.

On Tuesday, the eve of the demonstrations, between 757,000 and 2 million people took part in the demonstrations, and on January 21, between 1.27 and 2.5 million people.

Macron stresses that this reform, which will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, is “vital” to ensure the sustainability of the pension system.

The government expressed its determination to continue the reform, but over time it adopted some amendments that do not change its essence.

Moreover, the statements of the President of France from Brussels yesterday on Friday provoked a strong reaction from the trade unions.

In a rare statement on the matter, Macron asked the demonstration organizers to maintain a “spirit of responsibility” so that “differences can be expressed, but calmly, with respect for property and people, and with the intent not to let the rest of the country be made difficult.”

For his part, the head of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, spoke of possible “harder, more numerous, more massive and repeated strikes.”

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne again defended the reform on Thursday, stressing that it is necessary to “secure the future of the pension system.”

The government does not have a majority in the National Assembly to pass this reform and relies on the support of the traditional right to do so, but so far this is not taken for granted.

^{According to DPA, REUTERS, AFP, APE-MPE.}