French strikes draw hundreds of thousands in wage and student protests

Hundreds of thousands of people across France joined nationwide strikes and demonstrations on Thursday to demand higher wages and support student protests, intensifying pressure on the government. Major rallies occurred in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and other cities, with the Paris march beginning peacefully at Place de la Republique. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported around 270,000 people attended 180 union-organized rallies outside the capital by early afternoon, with about a third of France's high schools closed or disrupted. Police deployed 70,000 officers with armored vehicles and drones, while authorities reported violence in several cities, including Rennes, Lyon, and Toulouse, blaming masked far-left radicals. The movement began in September over school staff shortages and has broadened to include workers seeking better pensions and relief from rising costs, amid fears of recession. The protests occur as campaigning for next May's presidential election intensifies, with far-right contender Marine Le Pen favored to win.