The Latest Breaking News from Élisabeth Borne

City is cleaner, though not yet entirely clean, after three-week strike ends but union threatens more action

Fury over policing tactics has changed dimension of protests against plan to raise retirement age

Fears of more violent clashes with police as demonstrations against Macron’s unpopular pensions policy to carry on

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne on Monday is set to start a series of consultations over the next three weeks with opposition MPs, political parties and local leaders after weeks of protests over pension reforms.

Strikes over pension reform are not the problem. The president is up against the spirit of a nation

Protests against raising of retirement age reached most intense level yet on Thursday

In today’s newsletter: Demonstrations over Emmanuel Macron’s plan to reform the French pensions system intensified last night, with Bordeaux city hall set on fire. Here’s what you need to know

French protesters downed their tools and marched once again in Paris and other cities on Thursday, galvanised by President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to ram his deeply unpopular pension reform through parliament without a vote, in what critics have branded a “denial of democracy”.

After the French government this week survived two no-confidence votes sparked by the use of special executive power to push pension reforms through parliament, President Emmanuel Macron faces public outrage and constitutional appeals amid swirling rumours of a dissolution of parliament, a change of government and even a referendum on…

A nation is up in arms, but Emmanuel Macron still fancies his chances. By turning the passage of a highly unpopular pension reform bill into a vote of confidence, the French president convinced enough conservatives to avoid bringing down the government. But it was close, with PM Élisabeth Borne's government…

The French economy has made significant strides under Emmanuel Macron, but the need for political consensus and restoring social cohesion is an urgent challenge, argues Oliver Hartwich