France Sees Fresh Nationwide Protests: Lecornu Calls Wage Talks After 575,000 March
France faced a fresh round of nationwide protests and strikes over living costs and public services on November 5. The Interior Ministry counted 575,000 protesters, while the CGT union estimated 1,573,000. Around 70,000 police were deployed; 448 people were arrested and 53 officers injured.
The movement began in late September with student protests over underfunded schools and broadened into a wider challenge to the government, after October 17 demonstrations spiralled into the worst street violence and looting France has seen in years. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu responded by calling unions and employers to a social conference at Matignon next week on purchasing power and wages.
Union demands differ: the CGT wants a 10 percent rise in the minimum wage, while the CFDT seeks a net increase of 100 euros. Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon had said reliving October 17 was out of the question. The minority government is also struggling to pass spending cuts for the 2027 budget in a divided parliament.
(Source: French Ministry of the Interior)
Source: French Ministry of the Interior
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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