No sight of French deal on pensions as unions hold out

The French government and labor unions appeared far from reaching any compromise deal Friday in talks over a planned pension overhaul, with strikes and protests grinding on.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe met all major unions and employers' associations for negotiations that focused on two key issues: the retirement age and the financing of the new pensions system.

All unions reject the government's plan to raise the eligibility age for full pensions from 62 to 64.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Paris and other French cities on Thursday to denounce the government's plans.

Hard-left workers' unions want the pensions overhaul plan to be scrapped entirely. But the prime minister still hopes to find some compromise with some of the more moderate unions, which in his view would weaken the protest movement.

Philippe offered to pursue talks on the financing of the new pension system in the coming months.

Some unions are in favor of raising taxes on workers with high salaries to finance the new pension system. But employers' organizations have said they are against that because it would harm the economy's competitiveness.

French President Emmanuel Macron plans to formally present the bill on Jan. 24 ahead of a parliament debate to start in February.

The definitive vote on the reform is not expected before the summer, and the government says the plans can be modified until then.

New protests are planned for Saturday across the country and railway strikes are continuing, severely disrupting train traffic nationwide as well as the Paris metro system.