French Authorities Deploy 70,000 Officers as Cost-of-Living Protests Continue

French security forces deployed 70,000 personnel across the country on Saturday as trade unions, students and activist groups staged fresh demonstrations over living costs and public services.

The Ministry of the Interior recorded 146,000 demonstrators nationwide, including 46,000 protesters in Paris, while a youth union alliance estimated national turnout at 250,000 with 75,000 in the capital.

At least 360 people were arrested across France during the latest round of marches, marking a decrease in overall turnout compared with previous weekends of widespread public anger.

The demonstrations create mounting political difficulties for the administration of President Emmanuel Macron as the country approaches a presidential election scheduled for less than six months away.

Authorities took extensive precautions ahead of the weekend following weeks of youth-led unrest, school walkouts and broader economic grievances centered on wages, education and inflation.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez defended the large security deployment before the demonstrations began.

"If there are any rioters or looters... we'll be ready and waiting for them," said Laurent Nunez, the interior minister.

Police used tear gas and batons against demonstrators in Paris as projectiles were thrown near the end of the main march, while officers also blocked a separate gathering by the Yellow Vests movement.

Members of the Yellow Vests movement ignored an official ban by authorities to organize a rally near the parliament and presidential palace.

Organizers from the grassroots group urged supporters to defy government restrictions despite the heavy police presence.

"We are calling for mass disobedience," said Benjamin Ball, a member of the movement's coordinating committee.

The demonstrations have drawn participation from workers demanding higher wages and tax reforms, alongside students protesting conditions in schools and universities.

An inter-union coalition issued a statement on Friday outlining the core demands of the striking workers and civil servants.

"The only thing that will bring the protests to an end is a response to the demands that have been put forward for several weeks by workers, civil servants, young people and pensioners," said an inter-union coalition.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is scheduled to meet with representatives of trade unions and employers on Monday to discuss purchasing power and wages.

Government officials must navigate these negotiations while attempting to rein in public debt in the European Union's second-largest economy.