Paris (France) (AFP) - New demonstrations took place on Saturday in France for the fourth weekend in a row amid strict security measures. The protests will be concentrated in Paris, where the "yellow vest" movement intends to approach the centers of power, two days after widespread national mobilization called for by unions.

Published on: 07/11/2026 - 10:21

575,000 people, according to the authorities, and 1.6 million people, according to the Confederation General of Labor (CGT), demonstrated on Thursday throughout France to demand an increase in their purchasing power.

The mobilization on Saturday aims to maintain pressure on the authorities, two days before a conference that the government called for on Monday morning with the participation of unions and French employers, and meetings with student organizations in the afternoon.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed in a letter addressed to the social partners on Friday that he is listening to “the aspirations expressed regarding wages and purchasing power” and the “concerns” of employers, stressing that the conference “will allow for the presentation of concrete responses to the aspirations of the French.”

The Federation of Youth Syndicates and local unions called for a demonstration on Saturday “against the high cost of living and for the sake of youth” within an authorized march that would take the same path as the Thursday demonstrations in Paris between Place de la République and Place de la Nations.

For its part, the “Yellow Vests” coordination decided to organize a separate march to show its distinction from the unions, so it called for a gathering that the authorities banned in Place de la Concorde.

"Insubordination in intensity"

Coordination member Benjamin Ball told reporters on Friday as he left the Paris Police Department, which banned the march, “We will go to Concorde at 14:00 and will stay there until 19:00,” adding, “We call for massive disobedience.”

The movement's lawyer, David Libeskind, explained that the location was not chosen by chance, explaining that Place de la Concorde is "a symbolic place close to the National Assembly. It is a site of authority, as our demands are political."

In total, the "yellow vests" are organizing about 120 movements on Saturday in various locations in France, after holding about 1,700 movements on October 17.

For its part, the authorities intend at all costs to avoid a repeat of the violence and looting that accompanied the first day of mobilization on October 17, after Thursday’s movements went “generally well,” according to the Ministry of Interior.

Consequently, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced on Friday the “renewal” of the intensive security measures taken two days ago, with the deployment of 70,000 police and security personnel across France.

"Don't wait for the presidential elections"

He continued, "Of course, city centers will be systematically protected (Saturday)," noting that "the governors issued decisions prohibiting demonstrations in city centers so that no spontaneous gatherings will take place."

In Rennes, western France, local authorities considered that “conditions are not available” to organize gatherings in the city center, especially after the “serious acts of violence” that took place on Thursday.

The future of the movements depends to a large extent on the responses that the government will present on Monday during the social conference.

The trade union coordination, which includes the eight main national unions, announced that it would announce its position on Monday evening.

“The only thing that will stop the mobilization is responding to the demands that have been expressed by wage earners, employees, youth, and retirees for weeks,” the unions wrote on Friday.

Marielise Leon, general secretary of the French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT), the largest French union, said that the scale of Thursday's demonstrations "should make the government realize that it cannot wait until the presidential elections."

The union is demanding an increase in the minimum wage by 100 euros net.

The government has been indicating for several days that it is open to taking action regarding the minimum wage, but it will not be as high as the unions demand.

© 2026 AFP

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