Protests against the cost of living and in support of young people returned to French streets for a fourth consecutive Saturday, organised by trade unions. In Paris, former yellow-vest coordinators Benjamin Ball and Azelma Sigaux were arrested near the National Assembly ahead of unauthorised actions planned near Concorde square.
Police deployment widens
The Interior Ministry deployed 70,000 law enforcement officers across the country for the day. By early afternoon, it counted 7,000 participants across 68 announced provincial marches. So far 18 people have been taken into custody, down from 27 the previous week. Separately, 15,600 routine identity checks were carried out on people heading to the protests.
Turnout has fluctuated over the weeks of demonstrations. The previous Saturday saw 65 provincial actions with 15,000 participants, while 37,000 people joined 108 demonstrations on 24 October. On 17 October, police counted 67,000 participants at 198 locations in the morning.
Wages and education at issue
Trade unions are demanding a general wage increase of at least 10 percent, arguing the minimum wage has not been raised above inflation since 2012.
The government announced measures the previous week, including a Parcoursup reform, 15,000 new higher-education places, inflation-indexed student grants and a renovation fund for schools. The prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, asked the education ministry to address 200 of the most disadvantaged secondary schools. A social conference is set for Monday, with the government signalling openness to a minimum-wage measure but unlikely to meet union demands in full. President Emmanuel Macron leaves office in May after ten years.
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Source: Interior Ministry
