At the call of trade unions, train and metro workers, teachers and others took to the French capital's streets to demand that the government scrap its pension proposals.

Police were out in force but the march across southern Paris was calm, and the number of protesters was down compared to previous marches.

The Interior Ministry put the number of marchers in the capital at 23,000 and 187,000 nationally - compared to a count by unions of 250,000.

Philippe Martinez, the leader of the far-left CGT union, said the determination "is just as big" as at the start of the strikes December 5

"It's never too late to make the government cede," he said.

The unions remained unsatisfied despite the government's decision last week to suspend a the plan to raise the full pension age from 62 to 64. They want the government to scrap other changes they fear would force them to work longer for less money.

Macron says the new system, which aims at unifying 42 state-funded pension regimes, will be fairer and more sustainable.

The weeks of strikes and protests have hobbled public transportation and disrupted schools, hospitals, courthouses and even opera houses.

While the number of striking workers has diminished, since December 5, the country's trains and Paris subways were still disrupted Thursday.

Australian Associated Press