As strikes over pay demands set against rising inflation continue to block several French oil refineries, and a union call for a one-day general strike on Tuesday ups tensions in a first and burgeoning social crisis for Emmanuel Macron’s second term as president, the cost of living squeeze has also prompted industrial action in other European countries.
This Saturday December 1st the so-called 'gilets jaunes' or yellow hi-vis vest protesters will take to the streets of central Paris for the third weekend in a row. This time other groups – unions, anti-racist movements and student groups – are also planning demonstrations in the capital. But while they might all be demonstrating at the same time, these different components of the current social movement sweeping across France are not all on the same wavelength when it comes to their aims and objectives. Mathilde Goanec, Dan Israel and Faïza Zerouala report.
