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France Sees Major Protests Over Cost of Living
· Confirmed
In Short: France saw major protests on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to demand action on the rising cost of living and deteriorating education conditions.
France saw major protests on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to demand action on the rising cost of living and deteriorating education conditions.
According to France’s Interior Ministry, 575,000 people participated in the protests nationwide, while the CGT union, one of the organizers, estimated 1.6 million participants.
Jean-Marc Morel, 60, said he sensed the protests gaining momentum, reflecting broader anger over living costs and inequality.
The movement began with student demonstrations at high schools near Paris last month, before broadening into a nationwide protest movement.
Major unions across France called for a nationwide strike affecting sectors from education to healthcare, stepping up pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government.
In Paris alone, 110,000 protesters gathered, and around 400 arrests were recorded nationwide.
The protests followed calls by a labour union, student organizations, and activists seeking to revive the “yellow vest” movement, which emerged in 2018 to challenge social injustice.
Protests continued on Sunday in Paris, where hundreds gathered at Place de la République under a heavy police presence.
Macron’s government is grappling for responses to the protests as he approaches the end of his presidency in May 2027.
French authorities arrested 779 people during the protests over the weekend, while prosecutors opened an attempted murder investigation after incendiary devices were thrown at security forces in Paris.
What this adds
The protests began in mid-September after high school students blockaded campuses over overcrowded classrooms, unreplaced teacher absences, and dilapidated building infrastructure.
French authorities will impose overnight curfews in four northern communes for two nights following violence and looting during the protests.
Background
In Paris, the atmosphere at Place de la République was largely festive despite a heavy security presence, after earlier protests on October 17 were marred by rioting and looting.
France saw major protests on Thursday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to demand action on the rising cost of living and deteriorating education conditions.
What's confirmed
- “My basket of 20 items has become too expensive,” she said.
- The mobilisation, called by trade unions including the left-wing CGT and backed by student groups, follows demonstrations over the cost of living, public services and deteriorating conditions in education.
- On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of striking workers took to the streets across France in mostly orderly protests, although clashes between demonstrators and police broke out in several cities.
- The Yellow Vests movement, which staged street protests eight years ago against Macron's government over planned fuel-tax hikes, has called for its banned rally to go ahead.
- The demonstrations follow weeks of youth-led unrest and nationwide strikes that drew hundreds of thousands of workers protesting over the rising cost of living.
- French unions and student groups are set to take to the streets for another day of protests on Saturday, while the Yellow Vests movement plans a separate rally in central Paris despite a ban by authorities.
- Macron’s government is grappling for responses to the protests as he approaches the end of his presidency in May 2027.
- After several instances of apparent police brutality against AFP reporters covering the protests, the international news agency on Friday urged protection for its journalists.
What's still developing
- In May 1968, student protests and mass strikes paralysed the country and shook Charles de Gaulle’s government.
- SRINAGAR : French authorities will impose overnight curfews in four northern communes for two nights following violence and looting during nationwide protests against rising living costs and fuel prices, public broadcaster Franceinfo reported on Monday.
- The protests began in mid-September after high school students blockaded campuses over overcrowded classrooms (often 32–35 pupils per room), unreplaced teacher absences, and dilapidated building infrastructure.
- The French president said some leaders were influenced by fake videos generated by artificial intelligence about the unrest President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday criticised world leaders for making “stupid” comments about the rioting on the sidelines of protests in France, in an apparent swipe at US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- “We’re taking the Bastille,” one demonstrator shouted in Marseille as masked protesters rammed the door of the mayor’s offices with security barriers, in reference to the 1789 storming of a fortress during the French Revolution.
- The demonstrations come after France was rocked by violent protests in October, which outgoing French President Emmanuel Macron blamed on "ultra-left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic." An official close to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that by early Thursday, around 270,000 people had joined the union action in 180 rallies outside the capital.