Center-right president Jacques Chirac is met with the largest social uprising in France since 1968 following the government’s announcement of plans to reduce social security via pension reform. After mass strikes, it is forced to relent on key parts of its program.

Chirac’s minister of social affairs, François Fillon, manages to pass a controversial pension reform that extends the length of time public sector workers must contribute to the pension system before retiring themselves from 37.5 years to 40 years — comparable to the private sector.