French Protests Over Purchasing Power Draw Hundreds of Thousands

swissinfo.ch (French) —

Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched across France on Thursday demanding higher purchasing power, prompting Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to announce a "social conference" for Monday. Unions reported 1.6 million participants, while authorities counted 575,000 in 193 marches, including 65,000 in Paris. The government reported 448 arrests and 53 injured officers, with some clashes in Lyon and Paris. Youth groups and "gilets jaunes" activists have called for further actions on Saturday. The nationwide strike saw about 16% of teachers walk out, with one-third of higher education institutions disrupted. Union leaders are pushing for a 100-euro minimum wage increase, which the government has shown openness to considering.


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