Macron Is Courting His Waterloo Over Pension Reform

PARIS—France may be in for months of social unrest, as French President Emmanuel Macron plows ahead with his controversial bid to reform one of Europe’s most generous pension systems, unfazed by the 1 to 2 million protesters that took to the streets last week as part of a first wave of paralyzing strikes.

It’s a make-or-break moment for Macron, whose legacy as a reformer will largely depend on his ability to overcome France’s powerful trade unions and impose a wildly unpopular bill that would force many French to work longer. Much of the developed world faces a similar dilemma, striving to keep retirement schemes afloat in the face of aging populations amid fierce debates about who should foot the bill. 

Macron “wants to show that he is capable of transforming French society, that he’s not just handling the day-to-day business,” said Luc Rouban, a political scientist at Sciences Po in Paris.

PARIS—France may be in for months of social unrest, as French President Emmanuel Macron plows ahead with his controversial bid to reform one of Europe’s most generous pension systems, unfazed by the 1 to 2 million protesters that took to the streets last week as part of a first wave of paralyzing strikes.

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