French protests draw 575,000 amid parliament budget impasse

Protesters take part in a demonstration in Paris as part of a day of strikes and protests over wages, the cost of living and public services across France, on Thursday. | REUTERS

Nov 6, 2026

French protests over the cost of living showed no signs of losing steam on Thursday, raising the pressure on the government as it struggles to push a budget through parliament.

The Interior Ministry gave a final estimate that put the number of people who joined 193 events across the country at around 575,000, more than any other day since the unrest began in September. It said the demonstrations went smoothly overall despite some incidents in large towns including Rennes, Marseille, Nantes, Bordeaux and Orleans. In Lyon, a car was set ablaze, and near Toulouse a school was set on fire.

The number of striking public sector workers was similar to the previous strike on Sept. 29 — almost 10% of those directly employed by the state.

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