Emmanuel Macron faces a fresh day of strike action and protests against his unpopular plans to raise France’s minimum pension age from 62 to 64, amid questions over how the government intends to calm public opinion and move ahead if the bill is validated on Friday by the constitutional council.

Just as the president returned from a state visit to the Netherlands, where he was forced to contain the row over his comments on Taiwan, he faced a renewed domestic challenge as hundreds of thousands of people once again demonstrated across France.

After a request by the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, the constitutional council will make a ruling on whether the legislation is in line with the French constitution. Politicians on the left have also asked it to rule on whether a form of citizens’ referendum could be organised on the pensions changes.