Visit of King Charles of England is postponed due to violent protests in France

In France, the protests of about one million people in the country continue to oppose the bill that envisages raising the retirement age by two years to 64. After the protests that turned the streets into fire in Paris, the expected visit of King Charles was postponed after these developments.

Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators in the capital, Paris, as unions called for new protests next Tuesday to coincide with the state visit of England's King Charles III to the country.

The front door of Bordeaux Town Hall was set on fire by demonstrators. However, the devastation of the demonstrations in the capital, Paris, came to light. It was seen that the Champs Elysées Boulevard, the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower were covered with burnt materials and garbage.

KING CHARLES IS POSTPONED VISIT

In the statement made by the Presidency of France, it was stated that the visit of King Charles, which was planned to be held in different cities of France on March 26-29, was postponed due to the intensifying protests in the country. In the statement, it was noted that the decision to postpone was taken by the governments of the two countries after a phone call between King Charles and French President Emmanuel Macron.

HE WAS EXPECTED TO VISIT PARIS AND BORDEAUX

The King was expected to visit Paris, where protests turned violent, and Bordeaux, where demonstrators set fire to the city hall door, as part of the official programme. In a statement made at the beginning of March from Buckingham Palace, it was announced that King Charles will visit France and Germany on March 26-31.

Within the scope of the King's visit to France, it was expected that he would hold programs and contacts at the Elysee Palace, Orsay Museum, Versailles Palace and the Arc de Triomphe.

NO CHANGE ON VISIT TO GERMANY

Within the scope of his visit to Germany, which was announced to be held as planned, King Charles is expected to make contacts in Berlin and Hamburg, and to make a speech in the German Parliament. The King's visits are "the first overseas visit he will make after his accession to the throne".

NUMBER OF DETENTION RISE TO 457

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that the number of people detained in demonstrations against pension reform across the country increased to457 yesterday. Darmanin, who was a guest of the French channel CNEWS, made statements about the 9th mass demonstrations against pension reform across France yesterday.

Darmanin stated that 457 people were detained as part of the demonstrations, and 441 police and gendarmes were injured. Interior Minister Darmanin pointed out that between 1000 and 1500 people were involved in acts of violence in the demonstrations in Paris.

A demonstration was held in France yesterday demanding that the government withdraw the pension reform across the country. In different cities such as Paris, Rennes and Rouen, clashes took place between the police and the demonstrators.

PENSION REFORM IN FRANCE

The pension reform, which is among the most important election promises of French President Emmanuel Macron, envisages increasing the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2 years. The French have been organizing mass strikes and demonstrations since January against the reform, which has not been agreed upon in the National Assembly.

The images in which some journalists and observers were beaten by the police during the demonstrations caused reactions. The government, on the other hand, chose to accept the reform bill directly in line with paragraph 3 of Article 49, without putting it to the vote, since it did not receive sufficient support in the parliament. Following the decision taken on March 16, protests began in France. Nearly 900 demonstrators were detained in the protests where the police intervened harshly.

Opposition parties applied to the Constitutional Council for the annulment of the reform, which was accepted without a vote in the parliament.

(AA)