French protests see numbers surge as unions join strikes over high cost of living
The interior ministry estimates 600,000 people joined protests across France, while the unions say the number was far higher.
The head of France's CGT labour union, Sophie Binet (C), said the wave of protests and strikes had reached a new level
More than 600,000 protesters have taken part in rallies and marches across France, according to France's interior ministry, with five unions joining a day of action demanding more money for wages and public services.
The left-wing CGT union put the number of people taking part in Thursday's mobilisation at 1.57 million and hailed the figure as "a level unmatched" since 2023, citing big protests in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lille.
Sophie Binet told reporters at the start of a march in central Paris that protesters had "just reached a new level in their mobilisation" and were demanding immediate answers.