France’s rightwing Les Républicains party sacks deputy leader

Aurelien Pradie removed after failing to join party in backing President Macron's plan to raise retirement age

France's conservative rightwing Les Republicains party sacked Aurelien Pradie as deputy party leader on Saturday, after he failed to join the party in backing President Emmanuel Macron's plan to raise the retirement age.

Macron wants the French to retire at 64 instead of 62, a policy he says would save France's creaking state pension system from collapse but which has sparked protests across the country.