France protests enter fourth weekend as unions and Yellow Vests mobilise

French unions, youth organizations and the Yellow Vest movement have called for mass demonstrations across the country for a fourth consecutive weekend, mounting pressure on the government after weeks of unrest.

Numbers, police and the origins of the unrest

Earlier in the week there were blockades and protest actions, and a nationwide strike on Thursday that involved "more than half a million people, according to the Ministry of the Interior." The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) put the figure much higher, estimating "nearly 1.6 million people."

Authorities are again expected to deploy substantial police forces. "Around 70,000 police officers were deployed in each of the previous weekends," following incidents of violence and looting at the margins of demonstrations in recent weeks.

The protests began with student demonstrations demanding improvements to the education system. In the weeks since, hundreds of thousands have joined, expanding the list of grievances to include rising prices, low wages and inadequate social benefits.

In response to the mass mobilizations, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that "on Monday" there will be a conference with unions and employer associations to discuss purchasing power and wages. The government has said it plans to raise the minimum wage and has pledged extra staff and increased funding for schools.

Demonstrations are expected to take place across many French cities during the weekend; whether the rallies will remain largely peaceful or again spill into clashes and looting remains uncertain.

Photo: press material from the event