Thousands Hit The Streets In France As President Macron Pushes For Pension Reforms. SEE PICS

The French government has pushed through controversial plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, a decision that is certain to exacerbate the country's weeks-long protest movement.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated on Thursday in the National Assembly that French President Emmanuel Macron will invoke exceptional constitutional powers to pass the planned pension reform proposal.

We cannot bet on the future of our pensions, Borne stated as legislators booed and chanted. This reform is necessary.

After Borne's announcement, labour leaders in France called for additional rallies, with thousands descending on Paris' Place de la Concorde and other French towns on Thursday evening.

“By resorting to [constitutional article] 49.3, the government demonstrates that it does not have a majority to approve the two-year postponement of the legal retirement age,” tweeted Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT, one of the unions leading the protests, CNN reported.

According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, Philippe Martinez, the head of the CGT trade union, has also called for more strikes and protests.

Since mid-January, massive protests have taken place across France, with millions turning out to voice their opposition to the government's proposal.

Transport and education have been impacted by mass strikes, while uncollected waste has piled up in the streets of Paris.