Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to march through French cities and public workers to strike on Thursday, in a fresh test for President Emmanuel Macron.
asserted
thousands → expect → Macron
Weeks of unrest have rattled his government and dominated the agenda five months ahead of a presidential election, where hard-Right leader Marine Le Pen currently tops the polls.
asserted
Pen → rattle → polls
The mobilisation, called by trade unions including the left-wing CGT and backed by student groups, comes after demonstrations over living costs, public services and education triggered the worst civil unrest France has seen in years.
asserted
France → call → years
Authorities have sought to lower tensions after riots and looting on October 17 caught security forces off guard, leaving damaged shops and public buildings across the country and fueling criticism of Macron's handling of the crisis.
'We are extremely vigilant because it is out of the question to relive October 17,' government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told a press conference after Wednesday's cabinet meeting.
asserted
Bregeon → seek → meeting
French authorities will deploy around 70,000 police nationwide.
asserted
authorities → deploy → police
The domestic intelligence service expects between 500,000 and 700,000 people to join demonstrations outside Paris, while as many as 80,000 people are expected to march in the capital.
asserted
people → expect → capital
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez promised 'an extremely firm response' to any 'acts of violence' or disorder.
asserted
Nunez → promise → violence
A group dressed in Halloween costumes gather in La Plaine Square on October 31, 2026 in Marseille, France
Thousands of protesters gather in the evening in La Plaine Square, set up barricades, and clashed with police on October 31 in Marseille, France
A protester holds a firework during a demonstration organised by labour unions as part of nationwide protests called by the 'Yellow Vests' movement joined by French high school and university students against the cost of living and rising fuel prices, in Paris, France, October 31
The Education Ministry said 17.5 per cent of public primary school teachers were expected to strike, while unions warned of likely disruptions to rail and public transport services.
asserted
unions → dress → services
Among those expected to join Thursday's marches are students who say conditions in schools and growing uncertainty over their future remain major concerns.
asserted
conditions → expect → future
'We're trying to keep mobilising as much as possible.
asserted
We → try → much
Some people aren't doing so because they're afraid.
asserted
they → do → ?
A lot of people are afraid of police violence,' said Irma de Banville, a 19-year-old student in Paris.
asserted
Banville → say → Paris
The French government has defended police tactics while saying any abuses would be investigated.
asserted
abuses → defend → tactics
Macron convened a defence and security meeting on Wednesday ahead of the protests, underlining how a movement that began with student anger over deteriorating school conditions and concerns about opportunities for young people has evolved into a broader challenge to his government.
'The goal in the coming weeks is to get the river that overflowed back into its bed and to launch the presidential election in the calmest possible conditions,' an official close to Macron said, pointing to the lower number of high schools blockaded this week compared with earlier in the crisis.
asserted
official → convene → crisis
Even so, the political atmosphere remains tense, with candidates maneuvering ahead of the election and opposition parties seeking to capitalise on public frustration over living standards and government policy.
asserted
parties → remain → standards
Demonstrators take the streets as tensions escalate during protests in Paris, France, on October 31
Weeks of unrest have rattled Emmanuel Macron's government and dominated the agenda five months ahead of a presidential election
A protester wearing a mask takes part in a protest march during nationwide demonstrations in Marseille, southern France on October 31
asserted
protester → take → October
A vehicle is set on fire as demonstrators take the streets as tensions escalate during protests in Paris, France, on October 31
Demonstrators clash with police as tensions escalate during protests in Paris, France, on October 31
Demonstrators carrying banners, flags and various costumes, clash with police as tensions escalate during protests by the Gilets jaunes (Yellow Vests) movement in Paris, France on October 31
asserted
tensions → set → October
A previous power sector strike in mid-September reduced electricity supply in the country and cut delivery capacity at France's biggest liquefied natural gas terminal, Dunkirk LNG.
asserted
strike → reduce → terminal
'It's going to be a strong mobilisation,' said Marylise Leon of the CFDT union, anticipating a turnout comparable to France's pension reform protests in 2023 that saw over one million people march.
asserted
people → go → 2023
Public and private education unions have called for strike action, as well as unions representing rail workers, public hospitals and postal services.
asserted
unions → call → workers
In demands addressed to both the government and employers, the unions are calling for an increase in the minimum wage, which has not received any discretionary boost since 2012, across-the-board wage raises, tax reforms and better learning conditions for young people.
asserted
which → address → people
An attempted murder investigation has been launched after petrol bombs were thrown at security forces in Paris on Saturday.
asserted
bombs → attempt → Saturday
Meanwhile, several teenage protesters have been seriously wounded and thousands arrested.
asserted
thousands → wound → ?
Authorities have admitted to security and intelligence failures that paved the way for the clashes, large-scale looting and vandalism of public property that erupted on October 17.
asserted
that → admit → October
On Wednesday, the Paris prefecture banned a major protest route planned between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Concorde, which would have crossed the centre of the city.
asserted
which → ban → city
Protesters in La Plaine Square set up barricades in the side streets on October 31
Protesters kick back tear gas canisters in Paris, France, October 31
French high school students stage a sit-in in front of the Lycee Henri IV high school in Paris as part of a nationwide day of strikes and protests on November 5
asserted
students → set → November
A person puts rubbish bins into a fire in front of the International high school Montebello in Lille, northern France on November 2
A protester waves a flare during a demonstration against rising living costs in Nantes, France, Saturday, October 31
Police instead replaced it with an authorised route moving eastward away from the centre.
asserted
Police → put → centre
Several unions have denounced route bans as a move to repress freedom of demonstration, and some have filed last-minute appeals to have the routes reinstated.
asserted
routes → denounce → appeals
'We can feel a cumulative effect: public sympathy for the high school and university students' movement is not waning, and people are questioning restrictions on liberties, especially bans on demonstrations,' Fabrice Fort of the CGT union explained.
asserted
Fort → feel → union
'This has sparked a wake-up call among people who usually don't speak out much,' he added.
asserted
he → spark → people
Similar protests have sparked in other European countries in recent weeks with youth-led demonstrations seen in Denmark, Germany and Italy.
asserted
protests → spark → Denmark
The Aporia
