French protests draw more than 600,000 as unions join strikes

More than 600,000 protesters took part in rallies and marches across France on Thursday, according to the country's interior ministry, as five unions joined a day of action demanding more money for wages and public services.

The left-wing CGT union put the number of people taking part at 1.57 million and hailed the figure as "a level unmatched" since 2023, citing big protests in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lille.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he would convene a "social conference" with unions and employers next Monday to "provide answers to questions surrounding purchasing power and wages".

Protests and disruption

The wave of protests began in September over poor conditions and resources at lycées (high schools), before spreading to universities, workers and a revived "yellow-vest" movement against high prices.

An estimated 9.89% of civil servants were taking part in the strikes, according to government figures. The education ministry said that 16% of teachers had gone on strike on Thursday, and the unions said disruption had affected more than one in four lycées, which cater for 15-18 year-olds, as well as the vast majority of universities.

Disruption was reported in schools, hospitals and public transport, and the Eiffel Tower and some exhibition rooms at the Louvre museum in Paris had to close. Workers were also asked to halt production at oil refineries and France was expected to import more electricity than it produced on Thursday because of disruption at nuclear plants.

Police deployment and unrest

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had earlier deployed 70,000 police, vowing "an extremely firm response" to any potential outbreaks of violence.

Some unrest was reported in several cities. A car was set alight near the Gallieni bridge over the Rhône river in Lyon, as hundreds of activists from the radical left-wing "black bloc" clashed with police. Clashes were also reported in Rennes, where the local prefect said a "hostile group of masked individuals" had gathered in front of the main union march. Tear gas was used to clear a square in Bordeaux and a teenager was hurt in a stabbing involving a student at a high-school blockade in the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb of northern Paris.

But the trouble was not on the scale seen during the last big day of protests, on Saturday 17 October, when more than 2,000 stores were looted and historic buildings set on fire.

Union demands

The unions are seeking a rise in the minimum wage, or Smic, which is currently €12.31 (£10) an hour. The head of the CFDT union, Marylise Léon, said they are asking for a net increase of €100 a month.

CGT chief Sophie Binet told reporters at the start of a march in central Paris that protesters had "just reached a new level in their mobilisation" and were demanding immediate answers.

The government has sought to appease public anger over rising prices, bringing down the cost of fuel by releasing 10 million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves. Ministers have also promised school students to reform the unpopular Parcoursup university admissions platform and eventually replace it by 2028.

The government by its own admission has little room to manoeuvre, as it looks to make tens of billions of euros in savings, in a bid to cut the budget deficit to 5% of GDP.

Why it matters

The protests mark an escalation in pressure on the French government over the high cost of living, with unions vowing to continue their mobilisation and the government preparing a social conference next Monday.

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Sources

• bbc.com: French protests see numbers surge as unions join strikes over high cost of living
• singletonargus.com.au: Numbers surge in French protests as unions join strikes | The Singleton Argus | Singleton, NSW

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.