Sarkozy vows to force through reforms
French President Nicolas Sarkozy today vowed to press ahead with his overhaul of the country’s pension system, despite a strike and massive protests that saw more than a million people take to the streets.
Mr Sarkozy said it was “out of the question” to back down on the plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 under the reform.
The French leader conceded the government was willing to negotiate on smaller points, including measures for people in physically difficult professions.
The government insists the raised retirement age is necessary so the money-draining pension system can break even by 2018.
