PARIS (AP) – Widespread anger in France over a proposal to raise the retirement age has spilled into the streets, disrupting trains and planes, hospitals and mail delivery.

There have been demonstrations in more than 200 cities. Some protesters set off flares and banged drums. Estimates of the number of demonstrators range from 1.1 to 2.5 million.

The uproar is over a plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62. The goal is to bring the money-draining pension system back into the black by 2018.

France’s Labor Minister says the government won’t back down. He also says other European countries are debating raising their retirement age to 67 or 68.

Similar protests against austerity moves are expected across Europe.
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