The CGT union put provisional turnout at 1.57 million as workers and students pressed for higher wages and better public services. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced talks with unions and employers for 9 November.
France’s Interior Ministry provisionally estimated that at least 600,000 people demonstrated across the country on 5 November; the CGT union’s provisional estimate was 1.57 million. Police made more than 600 arrests during the nationwide strike, which included blockades and other protests, DW said.
The protests began in September over poor conditions and resources at high schools, then spread to universities, workers and a revived yellow-vest movement against high prices. The latest turnout estimates exceeded those for 17 October, when the ministry counted 550,000 people and unions counted 800,000.
Five unions representing public- and private-sector workers called for a higher minimum wage, broader pay raises, tax reforms and better learning conditions, as well as action on high prices and public services. The minimum wage was €12.31 an hour. CFDT leader Marylise Léon called for a net pay increase of €100 a month, beyond a rise in the minimum wage.
CGT leader Sophie Binet said protesters wanted immediate answers and that only a response to their demands would end the mobilization. Alice De Brito, vice president of the Unef student union, said the call for investment extended beyond education to all public services.
Students continued to blockade schools over crowded classes and deteriorating buildings. They said government proposals to cap some class sizes and lend regional authorities money for repairs were insufficient. A psychiatric nurse at the Paris demonstration said hospital cuts, staff shortages and overwork were affecting care, while salaries made it hard to make ends meet.
Before the strike, the government released 10 million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves to lower fuel costs. Ministers also promised to reform the Parcoursup university admissions platform and replace it by 2028. The government says its room to spend is limited as it seeks tens of billions of euros in savings to reduce the budget deficit to 5% of GDP.
Student unions estimated that 250,000 people joined the nationwide demonstrations against rising living costs and in support of the youth movement.
The strike disrupted schools, hospitals and public transport. The Eiffel Tower and some exhibition rooms at the Louvre closed. The Education Ministry estimated that 16% of teachers went on strike, while government figures put participation among civil servants at 9.89%.
| Source | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Government | 81 high schools and a third of higher-education sites affected as university students blockaded faculties |
| Student unions | 1,000 high schools affected |
| Unions | More than one in four high schools and the vast majority of universities affected |
State-owned utility EDF said power-sector unions joined the action. Workers were asked to halt refinery production, and France had been expected to import more electricity than it produced that day because of disruption at nuclear plants. Media accounts said state railway operator SNCF expected only minor disruption to long-distance services.
The demonstrations were largely peaceful, though clashes were reported in Lyon and Rennes. Police used tear gas in Bordeaux and Paris, and a teenager was hurt in a stabbing involving a student at a high-school blockade in Seine-Saint-Denis. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had deployed 70,000 police and promised a firm response to potential violence.
The BBC said the unrest was less extensive than on 17 October, when more than 2,000 stores were looted and historic buildings were set on fire. The revived yellow-vest movement had called for further blockades and protests on 6–7 November.
Lecornu’s November 9 social conference is to bring unions and employers together to discuss wages and purchasing power. He announced the meeting during the protests.
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The cases concern alleged police misconduct at cost-of-living protests and remain under investigation.
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The government plans the low-interest loans by 2030 and a further €1 billion (about $1.1 billion) for universities by 2029, in response to nationwide protests.
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