France ready to ‘compromise’ in pension standoff

French officials met with union leaders Wednesday hoping to end an impasse over a hotly contested pensions overhaul, 14 days into a crippling transport strike that is casting a shadow over holiday travel plans.

President Emmanuel Macron is “willing to improve” the plan, his office said ahead of the meetings, but rejected a demand by unions to drop the plan outright.

The government is struggling to win over support for its points-based pension system, which would eliminate 42 separate schemes that offer early retirement for many public-sector workers.

An Elabe poll released Wednesday found that six in 10 respondents (57 percent) opposed the project, an increase of eight points from a week earlier, with just 43 percent approving.