As Unions Cry ‘Contempt,’ Macron Enacts Controversial Pension Reform.

French President Emmanuel Macron has signed his controversial pension reform into law on Saturday, despite opposition from unions and the left who accused him of showing “contempt” for the three-month protest movement.

The amendments became law after the text was published in France’s official journal, prompting the opposition’s claim that Macron had snuck it through under cover of darkness.

The publication followed a Friday court verdict by the Constitutional Council approving the legislation, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Macron’s standoff with unions and the left has become his biggest challenge during his second mandate, and he will address France on the matter on Monday.

Trade unions have called for mass Labour Day protests on May 1, and violent demonstrations erupted in several cities including Paris following the verdict. Sophie Binet, the CGT union leader, called the law’s passing “totally shameful.”