King Charles’s France visit postponed amid  pension protests

King Charles III’s state visit to France has been postponed, after a request by President Emmanuel Macron, Downing Street said on Friday.

The Elysée Palace said the decision was taken jointly, due ongoing pension protests.

The trip to Paris and Bordeaux had been scheduled to begin on Sunday, but France saw some of the worst violence on Thursday since demonstrations began in January.

Buckingham Palace said the delay was due to the „situation in France”.

In a statement, it said: „Their Majesties greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found.”

The British government added the decision had been „taken with the consent of all parties, after the President of France asked the British Government to postpone the visit”.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to the King on Friday morning, the Elysée Palace said, adding the state visit would be rescheduled as soon as possible, „so that his Majesty will be welcomed in conditions which correspond to our friendly relationship”.

The decision to cancel the visit is a significant loss of face for France and for President Macron. It was supposed to have been a showcase for France, introducing the new monarch to the best of French life and cementing a fresh chapter in friendly relations.

But the protests made the trip impossible. Several French cities saw violence on the sidelines of Thursday’s largely peaceful protests that attracted more than a million people.

His government decided on Monday to force through the reforms, which raise the pension age from 62 to 64 and extend contributions by workers to 43 years.

 

 

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