Police clash with protesters in Paris as government passes controversial pension reforms without a vote in parliament. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne invoked article 49:3 of the constitution, causing fury among opposition politicians and prompting a no-confidence motion against President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The plans, which raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, had sparked two months of heated political debate and strikes. Thousands of people protested in Paris and other French cities, with some clashing with police as a fire was lit in the middle of Place de la Concorde. Unions vow to maintain their opposition to the changes, with more strikes and demonstrations planned. The move to bypass a vote using the constitutional procedure has been used 100 times in the more than 60 years of the Fifth Republic, and by governments of all shades.
