250 thousand protesters on the streets for the fourth consecutive Saturday

Recent protests in France against the cost of living and in defense of youth saw significantly lower participation compared to previous weeks. Organizers claimed 250,000 participants nationwide, while authorities reported only 146,000. The protests were largely peaceful, though some clashes occurred at the end of the marches. This mobilization aims to maintain pressure ahead of a government social conference. With presidential elections approaching, the government faces a social crisis, and leftist candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon is leveraging the situation. The protests began in September over educational system issues and have expanded to include broader discontent against President Macron. The government has acknowledged public concerns regarding wages and purchasing power, promising concrete responses during the upcoming conference.