French court to have final say on pensions reform
France's top constitutional court is to rule on Friday whether to approve President Emmanuel Macron's deeply unpopular pensions overhaul after months of protests. A green light from the heavily-guarded institution would pave the way for the head of state to sign the changes into law and ensure they are implemented by year-end. Experts believe the most likely scenario is that the nine-member body will censure some non-essential parts of the legislation but approve the core element of raising the retirement age to 64 from 62. "The council will likely follow the course it always had – not to counter big social or societal reforms," constitutional expert Laureline Fontaine said. But labour unions and opposition lawmakers are still hoping the Constitutional Council will strike down changes that Macron attempted during his first term in office and has put at the heart of the second-term agenda. "It would be a disaster for Emmanuel Macron," political journalist Ludovic Vigogne, who has written a recent book on the president, told a radio programme on Friday. "He would have no margin for manoeuvre... it would be such a huge victory for his political opponents." France has been rocked by almost weekly protests since January and around two in three people are against the reform, which will bring France closer into line with its EU neighbours. (AFP)