Paris, Jun 2 (IANS): French diplomats went on strike on Thursday to protest against the planned reforms of the country's foreign service, a local media outlet reported.

Announced by President Emmanuel Macron in an April decree, the reforms would affect at least 700 senior career diplomats, who would be merged into a "state administrative corps", in which they would no longer be attached to a specific administration. Instead, they would be asked to change administrations regularly throughout their career, Xinhua news agency reported, citing BFMTV news channel.

The reforms would also affect two historic bodies of France's diplomacy, ambassadors and foreign affairs advisors, whose portfolios would be either merged or gradually phased out.

Protests were planned to be held in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs buildings in Paris and Nantes, where the diplomatic archives are located.

Many of those affected consider reforms "an end to professional diplomacy" in France, the media outlet reported.