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The
Elysee said a joint decision was taken by the British and French
governments after trade unions called for a further day of
nationwide strikes and demonstrations during the king's visit.
The postponement will be a major embarrassment to Macron, who
had hoped the monarch's visit would mark a symbolic step in the
two countries' efforts to turn a page after years of poor
relations post-Brexit.
King Charles had been due to travel first to France for three
days before moving on to Germany, an itinerary that had been
seen as a coup for the French leader who has sought to position
himself as Europe's de facto leader.
"The visit will be rescheduled as soon as possible," the Elysee
said in a statement.
A Buckingham Palace source said King Charles' visit to Germany
will go ahead as planned.
Black-clad anarchists fought street battles with police for
several hours in the French capital on Thursday, ransacking a
McDonald's restaurant, smashing up bus shelters and setting
alight mounds of garbage that have piled up during strikes.
In Bordeaux, at the heart of one of France's best-known wine
growing areas and where King Charles had also been expected to
visit, protesters set alight the entrance to the city hall.
The upending of plans to host King Charles - which included a
lavish banquet at the Palace of Versailles - will only pile
further pressure on Macron to find a way out of a crisis that
has seen some of France's worst unrest since the 'Yellow Vest'
rebellion of 2018/2019.
The violence intensified after Macron's government pushed
legislation to raise the retirement age by two years to 64
through parliament without a vote. His government lacks a clear
majority.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Writing by Richard Lough;
Editing by Christina Fincher and Jon Boyle)
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