France braces for a further day of strikes and demos against pension reforms

France prepared for transport woes and a ninth day of nationwide protests on Thursday after President Emmanuel Macron pledged to implement his disputed pensions overhaul by year-end.

"Denial and contempt," was the reaction of Laurent Berger, General Secretary of the moderate CFDT trade union group. Berger accused Macron of "lying" about pensions "to hide his inability to find a majority to vote for his unjust reform".

Philippe Martinez, head of the hard-line CGT union, said that the remarks showed "disdain for the thousands of people who have been protesting".

In a television interview on Wednesday, President Macron said he was prepared to accept unpopularity because the bill raising the retirement age by two years was "necessary" and "in the general interest of the country".

Acting on Macron's instructions, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne invoked an article in the constitution a week ago to force the adoption of the reform without a parliamentary vote.

The government on Monday narrowly survived a no-confidence motion.

In the TV interview, Macron confirmed his commitment to the "democratic process" stating that the reform "must come into effect by the end of the year."

Philippe Martinez described the interview as "surreal. It's like everything is fine, I'm doing everything right, there's nothing happening in the streets. There is no response," from the public.

Ninth strike day

French daily newspaper Le Parisien, which shows a piction of Macron on the front page of its 22 March edition with the word "Inflexible" in large print, estimates that the ninth major day of inter-union mobilisation set for Thursday could attract significant support as a result of Macron's unwillingness to budge.

In French elementary schools, 40 percent of teachers have given notice of their intention to strike

The national railway company, SNCF announced on Wednesday that it will be able to operate only half of its TGV Inoui and Ouigo trains and one-third of its regional TER trains on Thursday, the 9th national day of strikes against the pension reform plans since January.

In the Paris region, traffic will be "severely disrupted" with 20 to 50 percent of trains running. No Intercity trains will be in service except for two round trips between Paris-Clermont and Paris-Brive.

According to union sources, 35 percent of public transport workers said they were going to take part in the strike.

In the Paris region, the most affected line is the RER E, with only 1 in 5 trains planned. A third of trains will run on the RER C, as well as on the H, J, L, N, P, and U lines of the Transilien. The RER D and R lines will also be below full capacity, with 40 percent of the usual traffic. Finally, half of the trains will run on the RER A and B lines as well as on the K line.

Paris municipal bin collectors pledged to continue their rolling strike, that has seen thousands of tonnes of rubbish pile up in the streets, until Monday.

Blockades at oil refineries will also continue, potentially creating fuel shortages.

• France's article 49.3 a handy constitutional tool to bypass parliament

(With news agencies)