KEY POINTS

• France’s Interior Ministry estimated that 575,000 people joined nationwide protests, while the CGT union put turnout at nearly 1.6 million.
• Demonstrations left 53 police officers injured and resulted in 448 arrests, with violence and damage reported in several cities.
• Trade unions are demanding higher wages, better public services and stronger social protections.
• Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has called a meeting with unions and employers on Monday to discuss wages and purchasing power.
• The protests come as the government struggles to secure parliamentary approval for its proposed 2027 budget.

MAIN STORY

Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across France on Thursday, demanding higher wages and an increase in the national minimum wage, as trade unions stepped up pressure on the government over the rising cost of living.

The Interior Ministry estimated that 575,000 people took part in protests nationwide, while the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of the country’s largest trade union federations, put participation at nearly 1.6 million.

Although most demonstrations were peaceful, violence broke out in several cities. Authorities said 53 police officers were injured and 448 people arrested.

The Interior Ministry said groups of several hundred radical protesters and left-wing extremists attacked police officers in Rennes, Marseille, Nantes, Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg. Officers were pelted with stones, fireworks and improvised explosive devices as the groups attempted to break away from demonstrations and move into city centres.

Authorities also recorded 86 incidents of arson nationwide, including in Paris, alongside reports of damage to schools. In La Courneuve, a pupil taking part in a school blockade was stabbed. In Toulouse, protesters entered a school, started a fire and vandalised classrooms, destroying computers. Two secondary schools were badly damaged in Caen, while a school in Lille was evacuated after its entrance was set on fire.

The demonstrations marked a shift in the weeks of unrest, with trade unions now taking a leading role in pressing for better pay and working conditions. Previous protests had been driven largely by students and the Yellow Vest movement, which has focused on economic inequality and the rising cost of living.

The unions said they would continue their campaign until the government and employers addressed their demands. Their concerns include higher wages, improved public services, better conditions for students and stronger social protections.

THE ISSUES

At the centre of the dispute is the widening gap between the cost of living and workers’ earnings.

In a joint statement, the unions said the prices of basic necessities, including fuel, food, rent, gas and electricity, had continued to rise while wages and pensions had failed to keep pace.

Marylise Léon, leader of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), called for a €100 increase in the net monthly minimum wage, arguing that workers should be able to earn a decent living.

Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT, said the government’s proposed additional increase would not go far enough. She was responding to plans for a minimum wage rise beyond the adjustment already scheduled for January 2027.

Frédéric Souillot, head of the Workers’ Force (FO) union, has called for the gross monthly minimum wage to reach €2,000.

France’s current minimum wage is €12.31 gross per hour, equivalent to about €1,867 monthly for a 35-hour working week. Germany’s hourly minimum wage stands at €13.90 and is scheduled to rise to €14.60 in January.

The dispute also comes at a difficult time for the French government, which is trying to pass an austerity budget while managing heavy public debt.

An initial draft of the 2027 budget failed to pass the National Assembly late on Wednesday after lawmakers made extensive amendments. All 458 lawmakers who voted opposed the bill, leaving it without a vote in favour. The original proposal will now be considered by the Senate.

The government’s limited room for additional spending could complicate efforts to respond to demands for higher wages and improved public services.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

“The struggle will continue for as long as necessary to bring the government and employers to their knees.” – French trade unions, joint statement.

“Workers are experiencing an unprecedented decline in their social standing. Fuel, food, rent, gas, electricity … everything is becoming more expensive, but wages and pensions are not rising.” – French trade unions, joint statement.

“France is the European country where the minimum wage has risen the least over the past 10 years. We have now become a low-wage country.” – Sophie Binet, General Secretary of the CGT.

WHAT’S NEXT

Lecornu has announced a conference with trade unions and employers’ associations on Monday to discuss purchasing power and wages.

However, the government faces further pressure from the Yellow Vest movement, which has called for nationwide blockades and protests on Friday, followed by mass demonstrations on Saturday. The movement is planning its fourth consecutive weekend of protests.

The impact of Thursday’s strike was limited compared with the scale of the demonstrations. Walkouts mainly affected public sector workers, with some school staff joining the action, several post offices closing and regional rail services disrupted.

BOTTOM LINE

France’s wage dispute is becoming a broader test of the government’s ability to respond to rising living costs while controlling public spending. With trade unions promising further action and the 2027 budget facing parliamentary resistance, Lecornu must address workers’ demands amid mounting pressure on the country’s public finances.