Workers strike across France, hundreds of thousands expected to protest

What the report says

Workers across France began striking on Thursday after trade unions called for a nationwide day of action, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to join demonstrations in cities and towns across the country, according to Al Jazeera. Gatherings were reported in Marseille, Lyon and Nantes, while a Paris rally was set to start later in the day. The protests are focused on wages and living costs, with demonstrators seeking a higher minimum wage, pay rises for workers, tax reforms and improved school conditions.

Al Jazeera said the unrest follows weeks of student-led protests that began in September over poor conditions at public high schools and later broadened into wider anger over the cost of living. Organisers said demonstrations were planned in about 260 locations, and the Education Ministry expected roughly 16 percent of teachers nationwide to walk out. Reuters, cited in the report, said riot police used tear gas during a protest in Lyon.

The strikes come as France heads into a politically sensitive period ahead of the next presidential election in April, when President Emmanuel Macron cannot seek another term because of constitutional limits. The report also noted that Macron held a defence and security meeting before the protests to help maintain public order. Separately, Reuters reported that the upcoming G7 foreign ministers’ meeting was moved from Marseille to Paris amid the unrest, underscoring the scale of the disruptions.