More than 140,000 rally as new protests against rising costs sweep France

What the report says

More than 140,000 people marched across France on Saturday in a fourth straight weekend of protests over rising living costs, according to the Interior Ministry, with unions putting turnout higher at 250,000 nationwide. Paris accounted for a large share of the demonstrations, and authorities said around 70,000 security personnel were deployed across the country. The protests also came only days after a much larger union-backed rally, underscoring the scale of public frustration over wages, prices and broader economic pressure.

In Paris and Lyon, police used tear gas during clashes with some demonstrators. Al Jazeera reported that protesters and officers confronted each other in the capital, while in Lyon several hundred people were dispersed after blocking a road during an unauthorized gathering. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned officials were prepared to confront rioters and looters.

The protest movement began in September with complaints about school conditions and limited resources in high schools, but it has since widened into a broader campaign over declining living standards. It remains led largely by students, though workers from different sectors have joined the marches.

The demonstrations are unfolding as France heads toward presidential elections in April. Al Jazeera noted that the unrest adds pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government and has become part of a wider political debate over wages, public services and social spending.