France faces biggest protests in years as economy fuels unrest

France braces for its largest protests in years, with 500,000 to 700,000 demonstrators expected nationwide over economic grievances and cost-of-living pressures. The general strike, organized by L’intersyndicale union group, will disrupt education, health care, public transport, and private sector services. Paris police deployed at train stations, and businesses boarded up ahead of demonstrations. France's economy shrank 0.1% in Q3, nearing recession, with $4 trillion debt and a Fitch credit downgrade. Similar anti-government unrest has hit Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Albania.