France.. Unions call for a general strike in November and Le Corno receives representatives of the protesters

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On Wednesday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Le Cornu received representatives of major unions in an attempt to contain social tension and ensure the security of upcoming demonstrations, while the General Confederation of Labor called for a general strike on November 5 and escalation of protests against the high cost of living.

After a meeting that lasted about two and a half hours, Sophie Benet, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Labor, said that the government did not provide concrete measures to address the demands of workers and students, calling for the mobilization to be taken to a “new level” through a general strike. The unions also called for raising the minimum wage, freezing the prices of fuel and basic goods, and increasing support for affected groups.

Bennett confirmed that union members will also participate in the demonstrations scheduled for next Saturday, noting that volunteers from the union will accompany the marches to help organize and secure them, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the violence that accompanied the recent protests.

For his part, Locorno pledged to submit proposals to address some social and economic demands, including the issue of purchasing power and high fuel prices, with initial measures to be presented in the coming days in conjunction with discussions of the draft budget in Parliament.

The union move comes after widespread protests in France last weekend against the high costs of living, which in some areas turned into acts of violence and looting.

In the same context, President Emmanuel Macron stressed, during a visit to Qatar, the need to show “firmness” in dealing with those responsible for the riots, stressing that security measures and curfews in some cities contributed to restoring calm, and ruling out the imposition of a state of emergency at the present time.

The authorities also decided to impose additional security restrictions, including banning gatherings and demonstrations in a number of sensitive areas in the capital, Paris, at a time when the country is preparing for a new wave of protests in the coming weeks.