Hugh Schofield
Paris correspondent

There was pandemonium in France’s National Assembly this afternoon, with left-wing MPs breaking into song - the country's national anthem.

Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne struggled to announce the government's plans to give up on a vote in the parliament and instead force the measure through to raise the pension age to 64.

Earlier she and President Macron had concluded that it was impossible to win over enough conservative votes to be sure of a majority.

It means that Macron should now get his way with the changes, which he says are vital for the long-term viability of the pension regime. But it comes at a cost.

By showing himself unable to muster a majority in parliament, he’s effectively conceded to the opposition – of left and right - their argument that with these reforms, he’s overruling the will of the people.

For weeks now France has been living through a campaign of strikes, demonstrations and now uncollected rubbish.

This looks set to intensify.

It's not just Parisians taking to the streets to protest.

In Bordeaux, local radio station France Bleu reports that hundreds of people are demonstrating there to "respond" to Macron's decision.

France Bleu also says there are protests in the northern French region of Picardie, external.

Spontaneous protests have popped up in the towns of Amiens and Lille, among others, France Bleu reports.

And in the west of the country, Ouest-France reports, external that two spontaneous rallies have been announced in Rennes.

Opposition MPs in the National Assembly booed Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and sang the French national anthem - La Marseillaise - as she spoke about the government's controversial pension reforms.

The pension reforms just forced through have been controversial for some time in France, prompting weeks of protests and strikes. But what exactly is being proposed?

First and foremost, the retirement age would be raised from 62 to 64 from 2030.

On top of this, workers will also have to make additional contributions to the national pension scheme - from 2027, they would have to work 43 years, not 42, to draw a full pension.

The retirement age will be raised gradually by three months a year, starting in September this year until it has been lifted to 64.

The plans also include:

• Guaranteed minimum pension income of not less than 85% of the net minimum wage, roughly €1,200 (£1,052) per month at current levels, for new retirees
• Police officers, prison guards, air traffic controllers and other public workers in jobs deemed physically or mentally arduous will keep the right to retire early
• Their retirement age will be increased by the same number of years as the wider labour force
• End to so-called "special regimes" with different retirement ages and benefits for rail workers, electricity and gas workers, among others

The government says the reforms are needed to prevent a major financial deficit in the system in the future, with the policy a cornerstone of President Emmanuel Macron's policy platform since he was first elected in 2017.

Public sector workers, who have been quick to resist Macron's reforms before, are among those with the most to lose, with newer workers no longer eligible for the special pension regimes given to their predecessors.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Leftist politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon was one of the first to speak out against President Macron's bid to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 by invoking Article 49:3.

But Mélenchon's stance is no surprise, as during last year's presidential campaign his Nupes alliance (comprising far-left, left and green parties) pledged to lower the retirement age to 60.

He said the bill "had no legitimacy" and described Macron's decision to call on Article 49:3 a "spectacular failure".

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Similarly, far-right leader Marine Le Pen said the government's move was a recognition of Macron's personal failure.

"It's his reform, he's the one who proposed it and defended it during his campaign."

Le Pen added that opposition deputies would file a motion of no-confidence in the government.

Antoinette Radford
BBC News

President of the French Republicans, Eric Ciotti, described Macron’s decision to invoke 49:3 as “chaotic and scandalous”.

Speaking on French television program, BFM TV, he said the decision to invoke the clause was “a result of many years of political failures” that demonstrates “a profound crisis in our constitution”.

He said the decision put France in a “democratic crisis”.

But, he said his party would not support any of the no-confidence votes brought against Macron's government.

That means the government will be able to continue its pension reform.

Among thousands of protesters at the unplanned demonstration in Place de la Concorde, many chanted "ça va péter!"

That translates to "it's going to be crazy" or "blow up".

Many protesters have placards and are waving a variety of trade union flags.

Image source, Reuters

Article 49:3 enables the government to pass legislation without a vote in the Assembly - some political observers are calling it a loophole.

By invoking it, French President Emmanuel Macron aims to ensure his government can push through the reforms without requiring the support from the majority of MPs.

The problem with the 49:3 clause is that it would also allow the opposition to call a censure motion (a confidence motion).

The government also knows it will face anger from protesters on the street, who see the 49:3 as anti-democratic.

The article was designed to prevent periods of unrest after the Fourth Republic in 1958 - a period marked by economic reconstruction and the start of the process of independence for many of France's colonies.

Image source, Getty Images

Thousands of protesters are gathering in Paris' busy Place de la Concorde, just across from the National Assembly.

Local TV channel BFM shows crowds gathering in the famous square, many waving flags and banners. Among them are some politicians.

Far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon told BFM the law “had no legitimacy”. He described Macron's decision to invoke the emergency powers as a “spectacular failure”.

Hugh Schofield
Paris correspondent

It’s been a day of high suspense at the French parliament, with President Macron’s government frantically doing the arithmetic to see if it would get its pension reform through the last crucial vote.

But at the last minute it decided that the numbers were too close – and the risk of defeat too great – so it’s resorting to a constitutional procedure known as the 49:3 which means it can force the measure through without a parliamentary vote.

It may be the least bad option for the government, but it’s also fraught with risk.

The opposition is crying foul, there are chaotic scenes in the parliament, and on the street the unions are promising to step up their campaign of strikes and demonstrations.

The French President allegedly told senior cabinet ministers that he believed the financial and economic risks of inaction on pension reform were too great to not invoke article 49:3, Reuters reports.

A government source told Reuters that Macron believed special constitutional powers were required to ensure the bill passed through the lower house.

"My interest and political wish were to go to a vote... but I consider that the financial and economic risks are too great," he said.

The bill had been approved by the Senate earlier today.

France’s government has decided to bypass a vote in the National Assembly in order to push through its much-contested pension reform bill.

The decision to use the 49:3 constitutional procedure to do this has been condemned as anti-democratic by the opposition and unions, who have promised to step up their campaign of opposition to the reform.

Although the plan to raise the pension age from 62 to 64 passed the upper house on Thursday, ministers realised they might not have the numbers in the lower house. The reforms have prompted weeks of protests and strikes across France.

Protesters have once again begun to gather on La Place de La Concorde in Paris, among them is prominent hard-left opposition politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon – an outspoke opponent of Macron’s plans.

Image source, CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

French President Emmanuel Macron’s government has chosen to force through unpopular pension reform plans without a vote in the parliament.

The decision to use a controversial constitutional provision was taken to avoid a knife-edge vote in the National Assembly.

But the announcement has caused fury among opposition parties, some of who stormed out of the chamber, and growing protests in Paris.

Welcome to our live coverage, stick with us for all the latest developments and analysis.