Macron defends French pension plan on national television

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron says the pension bill that he pushed through without a vote in parliament needs to be implemented by the “end of the year.” Macron, made the comments in an interview broadcast on national television on Wednesday. He said the bill that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 will “continue its democratic path” as the Constitutional Council needs to review it in the coming weeks. It was the first time that Macron had spoken publicly since his government forced the pension bill through parliament last week. The move prompted scattered protests in Paris and across the country, some degenerating into violence.