Paris - On Friday, officials announced that French President Emmanuel Macron's highly contested pension reform would come into effect promptly after receiving approval from the Constitutional Council, despite months of strikes and protests.

The law, which increases the retirement age from 62 to 64, continues to be a contentious issue, as demonstrators gathered outside Paris City Hall with signs reading "climate of anger" and "no end to the strikes until the reform is withdrawn."

The Council's decision failed to appease the widespread resentment toward Macron and his reform, with some protesters setting fire to garbage cans as they marched through Paris, chanting "We are here, we are here, even if Macron does not want it, we are here."

According to opinion polls, most respondents disapprove of the government's hasty passage of the law through parliament without a final vote that it may have lost, and the proposed changes to the policies.

Labor union leader Sophie Binet urged Macron to show "wisdom, listen and understand what is happening in the country and not to promulgate this law," while a joint statement from unions called for this to be "the only way to soothe the anger in the country."

However, officials dismissed these requests, stating that the legislation would become law in the coming days, with Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt noting that it should enter into force on September 1, as initially planned.

The Constitutional Council allowed for the raising of the legal retirement age and found that the government's actions complied with the constitution. However, it rejected ancillary measures to increase employment for older employees, citing that they had no place in this legislation.

Despite the opposition's call for a public referendum on the pension reform, the Constitutional Council denied the proposal. Another referendum proposal from the opposition is expected to be evaluated by the Council in early May.

Macron has urged the country to "continue to advance, work, and face the challenges that await us," and while unions have warned that they will not attend the meeting with the opposition planned for Tuesday, the opposition has declared that they will not back down.

Political analysts caution that the widespread dissatisfaction with the government's reform could have long-term repercussions, including strengthening the far-right. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right movement, took to Twitter, urging people to support candidates who oppose the reform in the upcoming election to repeal it.