Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Paris to protest rising prices. This increases the pressure on President Macron’s government.

The campaign for wage increases was organized by left-wing opposition parties, among others. The organizers called it a march against the high cost of living and against passive action in the climate crisis. The demonstrators called for the prices of energy, rent and essential goods to be frozen.

Garbage cans were set on fire and destroyed. Despite these incidents, police said they had the situation under control.

The police have no information on the number of people present. Organizers say there were more than 140,000 protesters, but it’s unclear if that’s even approximate.

“Chaos of Macron”

In a speech, leader Mélenchon of the far-left La France Insoumise party said Macron’s leadership had plunged France into chaos.

Macron’s coalition lost the parliamentary majority in June. This makes it difficult for him to implement his policies. Among other things, the budget plan for next year is under pressure.

Several unions have called for a big day of strikes for transport companies. It is scheduled for next Tuesday.

In France, too, there have been strikes in the fuel sector for some time, leading to enormous fuel shortages. This resulted in long queues of motorists waiting at gas stations.