French protests draw hundreds of thousands against Macron and Le Pen

Hundreds of thousands of people protested across France on Saturday against the rising cost of living and cuts to public services, with clashes reported in several cities. The government reported around 410,000 protesters, while organizers claimed nearly 800,000 participants. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police had made nearly 1,000 arrests nationwide by 7:30 PM, a number expected to rise. In Paris, demonstrators attacked police, who responded with water cannons and tear gas, while leftist leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon called on President Emmanuel Macron to "step aside." In Orleans, protesters rallied against a convention of Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, chanting slogans against both Macron and Le Pen. The protests follow riots a week earlier that damaged at least 2,000 shops, prompting Macron to promise strict accountability and curfews for minors in some cities.