By Dominique Vidalon

PARIS (Reuters] – Thousands marched in France’s May Day demonstrations on Sunday, demanding social justice and wage increases. They also demanded that President Emmanuel Macron drop his plan for raising the retirement age.

Macron must be successful in June’s legislative elections. The main topic of Macron’s presidential campaign was cost of living.

Paris was host to approximately 250 rallies, along with other cities such as Lille, Nantes, Toulouse, Toulouse, and Marseille.

The French capital saw trade unionists joined by political figures, mostly of the left, and climate activists.

The banners carried by marchers read “Retirement before Arthritis,” “Retirement At 60, Freeze Price” and “Macron Get Out”.

Philippe Martinez of the CGT union said that the stronger the mobilization for May Day, the more difficult it will be to influence the government’s policies. He spoke out before the rally.

He stated that the government must address the problem of purchasing power by increasing wages.

After beating Marine Le Pen, a far-right candidate in the runoff vote last Sunday, Macron was elected president for a fifth term.

Jean-Luc Melenchon from the Far-left was in Paris to attend the march. He came third in round one of the presidential vote.

He would like to unite a left-leaning alliance, which includes the Greens to take over parliament and to force Macron into awkward “cohabitation”, but this has so far not happened.

Before the march began, Melenchon stated that “we will not make one single concession on pensions.”

According to him, a deal could still be struck by tonight for a “popular union” between the left and the right.

Marine Le Pen, who is a nationalist symbol and did not place a wreath in Paris for Joan or Arc as she had done in the past, was now absent. Jordan Bardella from the Rassemblement National Interim Presidential was her replacement. He claimed that Le Pen was prepping for legislative elections.

Le Pen appealed to voters via video message that they elect as many members of her party in June, so she can “protect your buying power” and stop Macron’s “harmful project in France for the French people.”

France will hold its parliamentary elections June 12th and 19th.