Paris police fire tear gas as French march against pension reform

Workers marched across France in anger at President Emmanuel Macron's increase in the retirement age on Monday, with police firing tear gas in Paris and the western city of Nantes, as protesters joined Labor Day rallies across Europe.

Macron's popularity has plunged to near record lows hit during the "Yellow Vest" crisis after he stared down trade unions and multi-sector strikes and lifted the retirement age by two years to 64.

The move crystalized discontent against a president perceived by many as indifferent to their daily hardships and Macron has been met by boos, pot banging and heckles as he confronts citizens on walkabouts.

Sophie Binet, leader of the hardleft CGT union, said the pension reform had left Macron isolated.

"The executive cannot govern without the support of its people," Binet said ahead of the Paris protest, adding her union had not yet decided on talks with the government on other work-related matters in the weeks ahead.

Laurent Berger, head of the reform-minded CFDT trade union, said Macron's government had been deaf to the demands of one of the most powerful social movements in decades.

He said his union was open to discussions with the government and dismissed suggestions that a rare alliance between the leading trade unions was being tested now that the pension bill had been signed into law.

"We must bring other proposals over salaries and working conditions to the table," he told BFM TV.