On November 5, 2026, large-scale protests took place in France, with estimates of participation ranging from 600,000 to 1.6 million people. Demonstrators took to the streets to express their outrage over declining living standards, high prices for goods and services, and insufficient funding for education and public services.
Reasons for the Protests
The main demands of the protesters included:
- Increased salaries and pensions;
- Control of prices on essential goods;
- Increased funding for education;
- Improvement of public services.
These protests marked the fourth wave of mass demonstrations in France since late September. Initially, high school students took to the streets to demand solutions to educational issues, but later workers from other sectors and unions joined them.
Course of the Protests
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, approximately 270,000 people participated in 180 protests outside of Paris during the first half of the day. In the capital, the number of protesters reached 1.6 million, according to the CGT union.
The protests were largely peaceful; however, towards the end of the demonstrations, some participants began throwing firecrackers and fireworks at the police, who responded with tear gas. It is also noteworthy that on this day, around 10% of public sector workers went on strike, including 52% of teachers in Paris, leading to the closure of approximately 100 schools.