France's November 5 strike brought demonstrators into the streets across the country, with turnout estimates ranging from 600,000 to 1.6 million, according to Le Monde.fr. The CGT put the figure at 1.6 million, a count reported by 20 Minutes. A "social conference" bringing together unions and employer organisations is due to take place at Matignon on Monday, Le Monde.fr reports.
Coverage from franceinfo described full processions in cities including Douai, Limoges and Paris, where participants also questioned what comes next. Mediapart followed the day as an interprofessional mobilisation.
The day was not without controversy. In Strasbourg, the burning of an oversized cardboard CRS figure drew criticism, and Laurent Nuñez asked the prefect to refer the matter to the courts, according to dna.fr.
The gap between the lowest and highest turnout figures reflects the usual divergence between police and union counts, a recurring feature of French protest reporting. The material available does not specify the strike's demands or which organisations called it.
Attention now turns to Monday's meeting at Matignon, where unions and employers are expected to sit down with the government.
