Protesters surge in France as unions join strikes over living costs
More than 600,000 people participated in nationwide rallies demanding higher wages and improved public services, according to the interior ministry.
More than 600,000 people joined rallies and marches across France on Thursday as five unions participated in a coordinated day of action, according to BBC News reporting on data from the interior ministry. The demonstrations focused on demands for increased wages and better funding for public services.
The left-wing CGT union estimated that 1.57 million people took part in the mobilisation, which included large protests in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lille. The union's chief, Sophie Binet, stated that the mobilisation had reached a new level and that the movement would only stop if demands were met.
Disruptions were reported in hospitals, schools, and public transport, while the Eiffel Tower and parts of the Louvre museum closed. The education ministry said 16 per cent of teachers struck, while unions claimed more than one in four high schools and most universities were affected.
Clashes occurred in Lyon, where a car was set alight, and in Rennes, where a local prefect reported a group of masked individuals gathered in front of a union march. In the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb of northern Paris, a teenager was injured in a stabbing involving a student during a high-school blockade.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he would hold a social conference with employers and unions next Monday to address questions regarding wages and purchasing power. The government has previously attempted to address rising costs by releasing 10 million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves and promising to reform the Parcoursup university admissions platform by 2028.