Hundreds of thousands strike and protest across France over wages and public services

Hundreds of thousands of people joined strikes and protests across France on Thursday 5 November 2026. They demanded higher wages and greater support for public services, including education. Trade unions including the CGT called the day of action.

The Paris march went from Place de la République towards Place de la Nation. Police and protesters clashed in Lyon. The day followed weeks of protests and unrest over issues including living costs, public services and education, with serious unrest in October.

The interior ministry said on X that violent incidents had been reported near high schools in several cities, including Rennes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Paris. It cited mortar fire, fires, traffic disruption and projectiles thrown at police.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he would convene a "social conference" with unions and employers next Monday. He said it would seek to "provide answers to questions surrounding purchasing power and wages".

According to the BBC, five unions joined the action and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez deployed 70,000 police officers. Government figures cited by the BBC put civil servant participation at an estimated 9.89%. The education ministry said 16% of teachers went on strike, the BBC reported. It also reported disruption in schools, hospitals and public transport.

France 24 reported that riot police fired tear gas and charged a group of protesters in Lyon. The BBC reported that a car was set alight near the city's Gallieni bridge, where it said hundreds of "black bloc" activists clashed with police. It also reported that a teenager was hurt in a stabbing involving a student at a high-school blockade in Seine-Saint-Denis.

According to France 24, footage from the independent outlet Taragüi Média shows officers at the Paris march charging at demonstrators and using batons. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include a police response to the footage or national totals for arrests or injuries.

What is disputed

The interior ministry put turnout at about 600,000. The BBC reported its figure as more than 600,000, while France 24 reported nearly 600,000 as of 5pm local time (1600 GMT). The CGT put turnout at 1.57 million. The BBC described the numbers as provisional. The reports do not include a final ministry figure, an independent count or an explanation of either calculation.

What each side says

The BBC quoted CGT leader Sophie Binet as saying "the only thing that will bring this mobilisation to a halt is responding to our demands". CFDT leader Marylise Léon is seeking a net increase of €100 a month, according to the BBC. Nuñez vowed "an extremely firm response" to potential violence, the BBC reported. The interior ministry said on X: "Protesting is a right, but endangering others and damaging property cannot be tolerated."

Analysis

The next test may be Monday's social conference rather than the dispute over turnout. According to the BBC, the government is seeking tens of billions of euros in savings to cut the deficit to 5% of GDP and, by its own admission, has little room to manoeuvre. Unions say the mobilisation will end only with a response to their demands. One possible scenario is a negotiated offer on wages that eases tensions. Another is further action, as the BBC reports that the revived yellow-vest movement has called for blockades and protests on Friday and Saturday. Neither outcome is certain.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.