France, Feb. 11 -- French unions said more than 2.5 million protesters took the the streets across the nation on Saturday to keep up pressure on the government over its deeply unpopular pensions reform. The Interior Ministry put that figure at 963,000, but admitted that protest numbers had swelled for the fourth day of demonstrations.

Unions and political opponents of President Emmanuel Macron's plan to raise the retirement age to 64were looking to rally momentum by getting families and employees who haven't been unable to strike out onto streets across the country.

More than 200 marches were held in cities and towns as demonstrators sang, danced and vented their anger as the government's determination to forge ahead with its pensions pro...