France hit by second day of strikes over pension reforms

The government has insisted it will not back down, raising the possibility of continued action.

About 1.2 million people marched in nationwide protests against the pension reform on Tuesday, according to police – the largest turnout in four nationwide demonstrations over the last five weeks.

Unions put the figure much higher, at 3.5 million.

While the strong turnout suggested rising momentum for the movement, the number of strikers appeared to diminish yesterday in many sectors, from airports to the Eiffel Tower to students picketing schools.

Sarkozy's governing conservatives say raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 is the only way to save the pension system.

Labour Minister Eric Woerth emphasised that "street protests don't mean that we must scrap an indispensable reform."

Woerth said the contested reform "is about nothing less than saving out system."

Service on some of Paris' Metro subway and bus lines was slashed by about a quarter, with about 25 per cent of Paris public transit workers still on strike yesterday, compared with more than 40 per cent on Tuesday, according to the RATP public transport authority.

Public transit in other French cities, as well as commuter train lines around Paris, were also hit.

Only about one in three TGV fast trains were running, and more than half of regular-speed domestic trains were cancelled, SNCF national rail operator said.

Eurostar trains, linking France and Britain, were running normally, the SNCF said.

The Eiffel Tower was taking in tourists as usual after Tuesday's early closure.

At the French capital's two main airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, traffic was back to normal following extensive cancellations of short- and medium-haul flights on Tuesday.

Workers at oil giant Total's six French refineries kept up their protest, and in a statement union leaders there said "not one drop of oil" has been produced at the Total plants.