French protest turnout drops sharply as 360 arrested in largely peaceful marches

French protest turnout declined sharply on Saturday, with organizers claiming 250,000 participants nationwide versus 146,000 counted by authorities, marking a significant drop from previous weekends. The demonstrations remained largely calm, though minor clashes occurred at march ends, with projectiles thrown and tear gas deployed. At least 360 people were arrested. The reduced mobilization comes ahead of Monday's government-hosted social conference with unions and employers. The protests stem from September student movements over education funding, expanding into broader grievances on living costs and President Emmanuel Macron's tenure. With presidential elections under six months away, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen leads polls, while radical left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon launched his campaign Saturday.