French Protesters Plan More Rallies as Macron Faces Limited Options
French protest groups and unions called Sunday for more demonstrations to maintain pressure on the government after a massive security operation contained unrest during Saturday's nationwide rallies, which drew 410,000 participants. Labour leaders urged further protests next Saturday and a nationwide strike on November 5, citing growing anger over wages, living costs, and public services that extends beyond the student movement. Authorities deployed 70,000 police, arresting 1,314 people, far fewer than last week's toll. President Emmanuel Macron faces limited options to respond, with strained public finances and no parliamentary majority ahead of April's election. Police unions warned they lack staff for sustained high-level deployment, while similar anti-government unrest spread to Belgium, Albania, and Italy.