French Protests Over Living Costs Draw Hundreds of Thousands

Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across France on Thursday to protest the high cost of living and demand greater purchasing power. The government announced it will hold a "social conference" with unions and employer organizations on Monday. Protesters included workers, civil servants, students, and retirees. The interior ministry counted 575,000 demonstrators nationwide, including 65,000 in Paris, while the CGT union reported 1.6 million participants. Union leaders demanded a significant increase to the minimum wage, with the CGT calling for a 10% rise and the CFDT proposing a 100-euro increase. Authorities reported 448 arrests, 53 injured security personnel, and 86 fire-related incidents by 6 p.m. Similar protests over living costs and education funding have also occurred in Greece, Germany, Belgium, and Italy.