French unions test Sarkozy in pensions strike

France’s trade unions threatened to step up their campaign against President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 after holding one of the biggest nationwide demonstrations in several years.

The unions claimed 2.5m-3m people took part in scores of protests and strikes on the 7 September 2010 against the overhaul of the pay-as-you go pension system.

However, on the 10 September 2010 the lower house of the French parliament approved government plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018. Senators were due to vote on the law later in September 2010.

France24, 8.9.10: Sarkozy vows to raise pension age despite protests http://www.france24.com/en/20100908-france-pension-reform-retirement-strikes-protests-nicolas-sarkozy-press

Spiegel Online International, 8.9.10: French Unions Stage Mass Protests Against Sarkozy http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,716238,00.html

BBC News, 7.9.10: Pension rallies hit French cities http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11204528

ESO: Background information: French unions strike against pension age rise http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-unions-strike-against-pension-age-rise/

Deutsche Welle, 7.9.10: French workers strike en masse against Sarkozy's pension reform http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5982319,00.html

France24, 8.9.10: Unions hail huge turnout at pensions protest http://www.france24.com/en/20100908-unions-hail-huge-turnout-pensions-protest-france-cfdt-sarkozy-woerth-aubry

France24, 11.9.10: French lawmakers agree to push retirement age to 62 http://www.france24.com/en/20100910-lower-house-parliament-agrees-push-retirement-age-62-france-pension-reform

EUObserver, 23.9.10: French strike highlights EU's pension debacle http://euobserver.com/9/30872

EurActiv, 23.9.10: French strikes challenge Sarkozy on pension reform http://www.euractiv.com/socialeurope/french-strikes-challenge-sarkozy-news-498055

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