Protesters shout down Macron on visit to the Netherlands
Protesters interrupted a speech by Emmanuel Macron in The Hague on Tuesday, prompting the French president to say that those who do not respect the electoral process and elected leaders put democracy in danger.
Macron, who was due to give a speech on European sovereignty during a two-day state visit to the Netherlands, has been facing weeks of tense protests at home against a pension law that will delay the age at which French workers can retire.
“Where is French democracy? When did we lose it?” one man shouted during the event at the Nexus Institute. Others shouted about climate change and pension reform.
One of the protesters had a banner that read, “President of violence and hypocrisy”.
Macron competed for several minutes with those who were shouting in trying to make himself heard. He said social debate was “very important,” but that the conference was not the place to protest.
“You vote and you elect people … the counterparty is you need to respect the institutions voted by the people,” he said. “The day you consider, ‘I disagree with the law … so I can do whatever I want’ … you put democracy at risk.”
Macron then proceeded to give his speech. Reporters in the room said the protesters were removed.
At the start of the state visit earlier in the day, before a wreath-laying ceremony, Macron was confronted outside the royal palace by protesters who held a banner against the pension reform.
French unions have planned a new nationwide day of protests on Thursday against the pension law which will delay retirement age by two years to 64. Opinion polls show a majority of voters oppose the reform and back the protests.
The government pushed it through parliament without a final vote.
(Additional reporting by Jean-Stephane Brosse; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Mike Harrison)
