France braces for protests as Yellow Vests urge 'mass disobedience'

France faces another day of protests on Saturday, November 7, as unions and student groups plan marches against the high cost of living, while the Yellow Vests movement calls for a banned rally in central Paris. The demonstrations follow weeks of unrest and nationwide strikes over economic pressures. Authorities have deployed 70,000 police officers nationwide, with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez vowing to be ready for rioters. The Yellow Vests urge "mass disobedience" despite the ban, after Thursday's strikes drew hundreds of thousands of workers and resulted in 642 arrests. The protests occur less than six months before presidential elections, with the far right leading polls. Unions demand minimum wage increases and tax reforms, but the government faces limited fiscal room amid pressure to reduce debt.