Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across France in a wave of demonstrations against the rising cost of living, with fuel prices a central grievance. Authorities put the number of protesters at 550,000, while organisers said 800,000 people took part. The marches were called via social media and drew yellow vest movement members, Gen Z youth, farmers, teachers, climate activists and retirees.
The protests turned violent in several cities. Protesters stormed city halls in Marseille and Lille, and a fire hit the city hall in Limoges. Police used tear gas and water cannons and were authorised to deploy stun grenades; in Saint-Étienne, a protester lost a hand after a police grenade exploded. Authorities reported about 400 detentions in an initial tally.
Government under pressure
The unrest comes as President Emmanuel Macron’s government, led by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, struggles to pass its 2027 budget, which proposes a fiscal adjustment of 54 billion euros. Lecornu accused França Insubmissa, the party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, of being behind the protests. Marine Le Pen also criticised the far left over the demonstrations.
The protests unfold six months before the presidential election that will choose Macron’s successor. The article links the rising fuel prices driving public anger to the war in the Middle East, though it does not specify a direct mechanism.
Echoes of the yellow vests
The demonstrations recall the 2018-2019 yellow vest movement, which originally opposed a planned increase in fuel taxes. A poll by Elabe conducted in mid-September found that two thirds of French people support the return of the yellow vests movement.
