Paris (TDI): France is preparing for another day of demonstrations on Saturday as trade unions and student groups organize protests over the rising cost of living, while the Yellow Vests movement plans a separate rally in central Paris despite an official ban.
The demonstrations follow weeks of youth-led unrest and nationwide strikes that have brought hundreds of thousands of workers onto the streets to demand higher wages and relief from mounting living costs.
The protests are unfolding less than six months before France elects a new president to succeed centrist leader Emmanuel Macron, with far-right candidates leading in opinion polls.
Student organizations and trade unions have called for an authorized march in central Paris under the slogan of opposing the high cost of living and supporting young people.
The Yellow Vests movement, however, has rejected participation in the joint demonstration and called for a separate gathering at Place de la Concorde, near the National Assembly and the presidential palace. Authorities have prohibited the rally, but activists say they intend to proceed.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said around 70,000 police officers and security personnel would be deployed nationwide to maintain order. “If there are any rioters or looters… we’ll be ready and waiting for them,” he said.
Although most recent demonstrations have remained peaceful, some have been accompanied by clashes with police and incidents of vandalism. France witnessed its worst rioting in years on October 17, raising concerns among authorities about further unrest.
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On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of workers took part in strikes and demonstrations across the country. While most gatherings were orderly, confrontations between protesters and police were reported in several cities.
The Yellow Vests movement, which emerged eight years ago in opposition to planned fuel-tax increases under Macron’s government, has called on supporters to defy the ban on its Paris rally.
Authorities are seeking to prevent a repeat of the rioting and looting that marred the October 17 demonstrations. The Interior Ministry said Thursday’s protests had “generally gone well,” despite 642 arrests.
However, the police response has also come under criticism, with allegations of excessive force against demonstrators prompting dozens of internal investigations.
The renewed unrest has placed pressure on the government to address public concerns over wages, purchasing power and economic conditions.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is scheduled to meet trade union and employers’ organization representatives on Monday to discuss wages and purchasing power.
An inter-union coalition said Friday that protests would continue unless the government responded to demands raised by workers, civil servants, young people and pensioners over recent weeks.
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Trade unions are calling for an increase in the minimum wage, which they say has not received a discretionary boost since 2012, along with broader pay rises, tax reforms and improved learning conditions for young people.
The demonstrations reflect growing frustration over the cost of living and pressure on household incomes, while the government faces limited room for concessions.
