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Photos: Thousands rally in France over rising costs and economic struggles
Tens of thousands of trade union members joined strikes and demonstrations across France, calling for higher wages and supporting student protests over rising living costs. The nationwide action increased pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government after more than a month of recurring rallies.
Unions said about 260 protests were planned, including major marches in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Around a third of high schools were closed or unable to operate because of student blockades or teacher walkouts; public transport was heavily disrupted and the Eiffel Tower shut for the day. Paris’s main gathering was largely festive, though police warned of tensions near some schools in Strasbourg.
In short
- Unions staged demonstrations across France over wages and living costs.
- About 260 protests were planned nationwide.
- Around a third of high schools were disrupted.
Explained simply
France’s trade unions represent workers and can organise strikes to press employers and the government over pay and working conditions. Students have also been protesting as everyday expenses, including food, housing and energy, put pressure on household budgets.
President Emmanuel Macron’s government sets national economic policy, while wages are negotiated across workplaces and sectors. Strikes can disrupt public services and transport, making disputes over pay and living costs affect people well beyond the workers taking part.
The protests reflect wider concerns about how the cost of living is shared between workers, employers and the state. They also test how the government responds to public pressure over economic policy.
Europe Government Politics World