Further protests in Paris over France's pension reforms

Protesters took to the streets of the French capital again on Saturday to oppose the government's controversial pension reform plans.

The protests in Paris, called by the left-wing party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed, LFI) and several youth organizations, were the latest in several days of demonstrations seeking to stop the pension changes.

Among the French government's proposals is a gradual increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64. The French pension system is facing long-term financial troubles because of the country's ageing population.

President Emmanuel Macron's government has also proposed increasing the number of years workers must pay into the system in order to qualify for a full pension and abolishing rules that grant extra retirement privileges to those in certain occupations.

The government has also proposed increasing the minimum monthly pension to about €1,200 ($1,303).

Speaking at the rallies on Saturday, LFI founder Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused Macron of "dirtying everything, reducing everything, quantifying everything" with his policies.

"Damn you for wanting to commodify everything," Mélenchon added.

On Thursday, more than 1.1 million people across the country opposed the government's pension plans in a major strike and mass protests. According to the report, 80,000 protested in Paris alone.

Even under the current French pension rules, many start retirement later than the official retirement age of 62 because they have not yet paid into the scheme long enough to earn a full pension.