- A nationwide general strike has caused widespread disruption across France
- Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets
- The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe closed
- Air France operations ran at roughly 75pc capacity
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu summoned union leaders to a social conference
A massive nationwide general strike has caused widespread disruption across France’s transport, education and energy sectors, with hundreds of thousands of protesters taking to the streets to demand higher wages amid rising living costs. The mobilisation, organised by a coalition of the country’s main trade unions, marks an escalation following weeks of student unrest. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu summoned union leaders and employers’ organisations to a social conference at Matignon on 9 November to discuss purchasing power, wages and the minimum wage.
Severe cuts hit the state railway network, grounding a vast majority of high-speed TGVs and regional trains. Commuter lines into Paris faced major reductions, and international rail services to Spain, Switzerland and Italy were suspended. Air France operations were impacted, though running at roughly 75pc capacity. Major landmarks in Paris including the Eiffel Tower and several exhibition rooms at the Louvre Museum closed.
Clashes between protesters and riot police occurred in Paris, Lyon, Rennes, Nantes and Toulouse. Interior Ministry figures confirm 448 arrests nationwide and 53 injured law enforcement officers. Roughly 70,000 police officers remain deployed across the country. The US Embassy in France issued safety warnings to travellers regarding localised curfews and transport blockages.
