Hundreds of thousands of people marched across France in protest against high prices and deteriorating public services. The demonstrations, which began as demands to improve conditions in schools, have widened into a backlash over living costs and economic inequality, putting heavy pressure on Emmanuel Macron's government even as the need for fiscal austerity grows to rein in massive national debt. The unrest that started in France is now spreading to neighboring European countries where frustration over high prices has also built up.
Hundreds of thousands poured into the streets in Paris and other major cities on the 17th to voice anger over high prices, worsening public services and economic inequality, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. Authorities estimated that about 550,000 people joined 110 protest marches nationwide, including roughly 110,000 in Paris alone. The General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of France's main labor unions, put the national turnout at 800,000. High school students, in their fourth week of protests, were joined by the "Yellow Vest" movement, which has rallied against surging fuel and living costs. The Yellow Vests emerged in 2018 in opposition to a government fuel tax increase and economic inequality, and came to symbolize the months of mass anti-government protests that shook France.
Largely peaceful demonstrations turned violent in some areas. At Place de la République in central Paris, masked protesters fired fireworks and threw bricks at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. In the city center, demonstrators attempted to break into the Galeries Lafayette department store, and luxury boutiques and supermarkets were looted. Some smashed shop windows, broke down doors and fled with goods. Several participants were seen shouting "Let's go take the Bastille," invoking the French Revolution of 1789.
Public facilities were also attacked outside the capital. In Limoges, in central France, protesters set fire to the city hall, collapsing the roof of the 143-year-old building and destroying much of its exterior walls. Reuters described the unrest as the worst violence in France in decades.
The government has vowed a tough response to violence and looting. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said more than 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers injured during the protests. Macron stressed that "there is no place for violence in our republic."
Analysts say the protests grew so large because grievances that had accumulated across French society, well beyond education, finally boiled over. Soaring prices for daily necessities have deepened anger over the cost of living, and that frustration combined with resentment over economic inequality to turn into a broader protest against the government. Sonia Mabrouk, a 40-year-old woman who joined the Paris march, said she came out "to protest against everything that is going wrong," adding that "the government is pursuing policies that favor the wealthy and put the burden on the poorest."
The unrest is likely to add to the political burden on Macron as he nears the end of his term. The French government must reduce its large fiscal deficit and national debt, but protesters are demanding more public spending on education and welfare. With spending restraint risking an even stronger public backlash, the government's options are narrowing.
The political clash is also intensifying. Marine Le Pen, a National Rally (RN) lawmaker who leads presidential election polls, accused the far left of inciting violence and criticized Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise (LFI). Mélenchon distanced himself from looting and other violence but said he supports the students' demands and the protests themselves.
Frustration over living costs is surfacing beyond France. In Milan, a rally against high prices and war also turned violent on the same day, with protesters clashing with police. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she respects the freedom to protest but cannot tolerate violence and destruction.
In Brussels, students clashed with police over the cost of education and planned changes to the education system, while a demonstration in Lisbon protested soaring home prices and rents. In Spain, protests over the housing shortage have spread since the forced eviction of an 87-year-old last month, and amid the growing turmoil Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has decided to call an early general election in November.