Macron to give television interview as anger simmers over pension reform

A protester walks past burning garbages during a protest in Paris, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A spattering of protests were planned to continue in France over the weekend against President Macron's controversial pension reform, as garbage continued to reek in the streets of Paris and beyond owing to continuing action by refuse collectors. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly) AP - Lewis Joly

French President Emmanuel Macron will give a televised interview on Wednesday, his office announced, just a day after his controversial pensions reform is to be signed into law. The government fended off two no-confidence votes in parliament on Monday evening, prompting angry protests in Paris and other cities.

Macron's government used a constitutional measure to adopt the reform, which pushes back the retirement age to 64 from 62, without a vote in the lower-house National Assembly, sparking claims of a "denial of democracy" by angry demonstrators.