France pension protest numbers in dispute

French unions have reported turnout of nearly three million people at rallies against pension reform but police figures are much lower, reports BBC News.

The CFDT federation said 2.9 million had joined events across France, exceeding the turnout of 2.5 million on 7 September. But police put turnout in Paris at less than a quarter of the unions' figure.

Marches and rallies were held as strikes closed down much of the country's public transport.

The pension reform bill, which raises the retirement age from 60 to 62, has already been passed by France's lower house of parliament.

It will be debated from 5 October by the upper house, the Senate, where it is expected to pass comfortably.

President Nicolas Sarkozy says the reforms are needed to tackle France's budget deficit, and to help support an ageing population.