New Times,
New Thinking.

French strikes: will pension reform undo Emmanuel Macron?

The president's attempt to raise the retirement age in France sparks a general strike. Meanwhile in China, Xi Jinping hits out at the US.

On Tuesday (7 March), hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest Emmanuel Macron’s attempts to raise the retirement age. Workers in a variety of sectors – including education, transport, energy and waste – downed tools on the largest day of strikes since Macron’s presidency began. 

Megan Gibson in London, Ido Vock in Berlin and Katie Stallard in Washington DC discuss Macron’s proposals and his refusal to back down, raising the prospect of an escalating struggle. Plus, what are the stakes for the country more broadly?

Next they turn to China, where the country’s leadership has gathered for its annual parliamentary session, known as the National People’s Congress. The team discuss Xi Jinping’s uncharacteristically direct attack on the US, how these statements were received in Washington, and what the parliamentary session tells us about how China sees its path ahead.

Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders: will the toxic chemical attacks against Iranian schoolgirls quell the unrest in the country?

Read more: I’m a civil servant – here’s why I’m striking on Budget day

Read more:

Katie writes Xi Jinping lashes out at the US

Give a gift subscription to the New Statesman this Christmas from just £49

Megan asks who is poisoning school girls in Iran?

How to listen to the World Review podcast

1. In your browser

You can use the player above to listen in your browser right now. The World Review podcast publishes on Monday and Thursdays. All episodes are published to newstatesman.com/podcasts on the day of release.

2. In a podcast app

World Review is available on all major podcast apps including Apple PodcastsSpotifyAcastGoogle Podcasts, and more. Search “World Review” in your favourite podcast app, and subscribe or follow to make sure you receive episodes as soon as they publish. While you’re there, please leave a review for the podcast – it helps others find the show, which in turn makes it possible for us to keep making it.

3. On your smart speaker

If you have an Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod smart speaker, ask it to “play the latest episode of World Review”. The same command also works with virtual assistants on mobile devices.

Content from our partners
Putting citizen experience at the heart of AI-driven public services
Skills policy and industrial strategies must be joined up
How the UK can lead the transition to net zero