France braces for mass protests as unions call nationwide strike over wages, cost of living

France braced for a major nationwide mobilisation on Thursday as five trade unions joined forces for strikes and protests over wages, the rising cost of living and public services, with authorities expecting up to 700,000 demonstrators to take to the streets.

The protests, which began in September with high school students raising concerns over poor educational conditions and resources, have since expanded to include workers and the revived 'yellow vest' movement.

Authorities estimate that between 500,000 and 700,000 people could participate in marches across the country, including tens of thousands in Paris.

More than 250 separate actions have been planned for Thursday. Disruptions have already been reported in schools, hospitals and public transport, while workers have been urged to halt production at oil refineries.

France is also expected to import more electricity than it generates on Thursday because of disruption at nuclear power plants.

The five unions have called on workers, pensioners and young people to join the mobilisation, demanding higher wages to offset rising prices and guarantees for public services.

A key demand is an increase in the statutory minimum wage, known as the Smic, currently set at 12.31 euros an hour.

Marylise Léon, head of the CFDT union, said the demand went beyond an increase in the minimum wage, with unions seeking a net monthly pay rise of 100 euros.

Sophie Binet, another union leader, described Thursday's mobilisation as a "great day of convergence", urging workers to escalate the protests through strikes.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 70,000 police officers and gendarmes had been deployed across the country. He warned that authorities would respond firmly to any outbreak of violence.

The government has attempted to ease public anger over rising prices by releasing 10 million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves to bring down fuel costs. Ministers have also promised students reforms to the unpopular Parcoursup university admissions platform, with plans to replace it by 2028.

According to the education ministry, 81 high schools, known as lycées, were shut on Thursday morning. Around 17.5 per cent of primary schools were also affected by the strikes.

The revived gilets jaunes, or yellow vest, movement, which led protests against the cost of living several years ago, has called for further blockades and demonstrations on Friday and Saturday.

Union leaders have criticised restrictions imposed on previous marches, particularly in Paris, following violence during protests on 17 October. More than 2,000 shops were looted and historic buildings set on fire during those disturbances.

Thursday's march has been permitted through central Paris, although authorities rejected the route proposed by unions between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Concorde, which would have taken demonstrators close to the National Assembly, the Élysée Palace and the prime minister's residence.

Instead, protesters are expected to march between Place de la République and Place de la Nation.

The CFDT criticised the late approval of the alternative route, saying the decision, taken only on Wednesday evening, had made preparations more difficult.

Nuñez identified three potential security risks: violence by radical left-wing groups known as 'black blocs', looting and unauthorised marches. The police deployment is expected to be comparable to that during the previous major mobilisation over the weekend, which passed with relatively little violence.