French President Emmanuel Macron was interrupted on Tuesday in The Hague by demonstrators who challenged him on "
democracy
" and pensions as he was about to deliver a speech on the future of Europe, found AFP journalists.
“
Where is French democracy?
“, “
The convention on the climate is not respected
”, shouted demonstrators from the stands while unrolling a banner on which was written in English “
President of violence and hypocrisy
”.
"
You have millions of demonstrators in the streets
", they also launched, while the French government has been confronted since the beginning of the year with a very strong challenge to its reform aiming to postpone from 62 to 64 years the retirement age.
"Democracy in Danger"
"
It's very important to have a social debate
," replied the French head of state when he was able to speak again after a minute's interruption.
"
I can answer all the questions about what we are discussing in France
", "
this is a democracy and a democracy is exactly a place where you can demonstrate
" and see "
this type of intervention
", he said. He underlines.
But "
the day you say to yourself 'when I disagree with the law that has been passed or the people who have been elected, I can do what I want because I decide for myself the legitimacy of what I do. ', you put democracy in danger
, ”continued Emmanuel Macron.
Picking up the thread of his speech on European economic policy, the French president then returned to his reform, on the merits.
Read alsoHow Macron still hopes to revive
"
When I compare
" with other European countries, the French "
should be less angry with me
," he sighed.
“
Because in your country
”, the retirement age “
is much higher, and in many countries in Europe it is much higher than 64 years old
”, he insisted.