Over 320,000 Join French Protests Over Living Costs Ahead of General Strike

More than 320,000 people marched across France on Saturday in protests against the rising cost of living and poor public services. Police in Paris used tear gas as they clashed with demonstrators in the capital, where about 70,000 people gathered, according to police estimates. The interior ministry said at least 290 protesters were arrested nationwide. Authorities said they had prepared extensively to avoid a repeat of the rioting and looting that occurred two weeks earlier. The demonstrations are part of a build‑up to a general strike planned for the coming days. Similar protests were held in Albania, Germany and Italy, with young people taking to the streets across Europe, BBC correspondent James Waterhouse reported. The scale of the French protests makes them the largest single‑day rally since the start of the cost‑of‑living crisis, according to officials. Police presence was heightened in major cities, and several transport hubs saw temporary disruptions, though no major services were halted. The government has warned that further unrest could spread if economic grievances are not addressed.

Context

These protests echo a broader wave of cost‑of‑living unrest that has swept several European nations this year, as inflation and cuts to public services strain household budgets.