Macron calls crisis meeting ahead of tenth day of strikes in pension row

French President Emmanuel Macron summoned government ministers for a crisis meeting on Monday, ahead of Tuesday's planned strikes and protests against pension reforms. 

Riot police fight with protesters during a rally in Paris last week. AP - Christophe Ena

Trade unions have called for a day of action on Tuesday, the tenth such mobilisation since protests started in mid-January against the controversial law, which includes raising the retirement age to 64 from 62.

President Macron, whose approval rating in opinion polls is less than 30 percent, said last week he accepted the "unpopularity" that came with the reform, which he considers essential.

Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, meanwhile said that while there was no plan to drop the legislation, she was ready for discussions with the unions.

"We have to find the right path. We need to calm down," she said on Sunday.

Borne has scheduled talks over the next three weeks, with members of the parliamentary opposition, political parties, local authorities and unions.

Laurent Berger, the head of the moderate CFDT union, who has taken an unexpectedly hard line against the pension reform, said he would accept the offer of talks but only if the reform was first "put to one side".

Berger called on the government to come up with a "very big move on pensions".

Transport to be badly disrupted on Tuesday

According to the Paris public transport operator RATP, metros and suburban trains will be "badly disrupted" on Tuesday.

About one third of junior school teachers have announced their intention to strike.

Rubbish collectors in the capital are continuing their strike, with close to 8,000 tonnes of garbage piled up in the streets.

France's civil aviation authority has told airlines at Orly airport in Paris, as well as the Marseille, Bordeaux and Toulouse airports, to cancel 20 percent of flights on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

The French police have meanwhile come under severe criticism for the use of heavy-handed tactics during recent demonstrations.

The Council of Europe said on Friday that peaceful protesters and journalists had to be protected from police violence and arbitrary arrest.

On Sunday the IGPN, the internal affairs unit of the French police, said it had launched 17 investigations into incidents since the protests began.