Students, Unions and Yellow Vests Protest Across France Over Living Costs

Demonstrations began across France on Saturday as students, trade unions, farmers and members of the Yellow Vest movement protested high living costs and rising fuel prices. Interior Ministry officials estimated that 60,000 to 110,000 people would take part outside the Paris area, with additional marches inside the capital. Roughly 500 separate actions were planned nationwide.

The protests grew out of weeks of student blockades that began in mid-September over teacher absences, overcrowded classrooms and aging facilities. Those actions expanded into broader complaints about public services, wages and prices. The CGT union called for higher wages and pensions, lower prices and better protection of public services. Yellow Vest participants, whose movement began in 2018 over diesel taxes, returned to the streets citing fuel prices that have climbed above two euros per litre in many places.

In Paris, a march was scheduled to leave Place de la République in the early afternoon. Police banned gatherings near the Élysée Palace, Matignon and the Champs-Élysées. Several Metro stations were closed at police request. Early reports described tension and the use of tear gas before the main procession began. By midday, authorities had recorded more than 160 arrests nationwide and dozens of smaller actions already under way in provincial cities.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Thursday that the government feared unrest. He described the moment as one of fatigue in the country and accused the hard-left France Unbowed party of inflaming the protests, a charge the party denied. President Emmanuel Macron, speaking from Brussels on Friday, appealed for calm and respect for people and property while affirming the constitutional right to demonstrate.

Fuel prices have been a central complaint. Official figures showed diesel averaging around 2.35 euros per litre in early October. The government announced the release of 10 million barrels from strategic stocks in an effort to lower pump prices by 12 to 18 centimes starting in November, though industry executives suggested smaller reductions. Protesters have demanded price freezes and measures against what they call excess profits in the energy sector.

Outside Paris, actions included blockades at roundabouts, gatherings outside service stations and marches in cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Rennes and Lille. In Lyon, police dispersed groups near a bridge and a refinery. In Marseille, reports described trash bins set alight. Student groups continued to press for the abolition of the Parcoursup university admissions platform and for large additional spending on schools.

The Yellow Vest movement had been largely quiet since Macron agreed to tax cuts and other concessions after the 2018–2019 protests. Its partial return alongside student and union actions has raised the possibility of a broader convergence. Government officials have pointed to existing support measures for farmers and fuel buyers, but protesters have said those steps have not kept pace with price rises in energy and food.

Police presence was heavy in central Paris and in several other cities. Previous weeks of student protests had produced hundreds of arrests and injuries, including one case in which a teenager lost a hand after handling a stun grenade. Saturday’s larger turnout tested whether the different groups would maintain a common focus or fragment into separate demands.

No major national disruption to transport or fuel supplies was reported by early afternoon, though local blockades slowed traffic in several departments. Organizers said the first day of the Toussaint school holiday would allow more families and students to participate. Further actions are expected in the coming days if the government does not announce additional measures on prices and public services.