More than 600,000 people in France marched through several major cities to demand that the government urgently address the cost of living crisis.
On Thursday, 5 Nov 2026 GMT+7, hundreds of thousands of French citizens rallied nationwide in a spirited protest coordinated by five major labor unions, calling for wage increases and more public service funding to alleviate the high cost of living crisis.
The French Ministry of the Interior reported that over 600,000 people participated nationwide, exceeding the previous large protest on 17 Oct 2026 GMT+7, which had about 550,000 attendees.
However, the CGT, a left-wing labor union, estimated turnout at as high as 1.57 million, calling it the largest gathering since 2023, especially in major cities like Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Lille.
Protesters demanded the government raise the minimum wage, currently 12.31 euros per hour, and increase net wages by at least 100 euros per month, as proposed by the CFDT union. They also called for higher public service budgets for schools, universities, and hospitals.
In the latest protests, about 10% of civil servants and over 16% of teachers joined the strike and marches, disrupting education at many schools and universities.
The Eiffel Tower and parts of the Louvre Museum were closed to avoid disruptions from the protests. Public transport systems experienced outages, oil refineries halted production, and nuclear power plants were disrupted, forcing France to increase electricity imports.
Unlike the violent riots during the 17 Oct protests, which included thousands of store burnings and looting, the latest protests were less severe but still saw clashes between police and extremist "Black Bloc" groups, car burnings in Lyon, tear gas use in Bordeaux, and a stabbing near a school lockdown in Paris.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced plans to hold a social council meeting with union and employer representatives next Monday to discuss purchasing power and wages.
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Source:bbc