“From 1968 Uprisings to 2023 Pension Strikes: A Century of French Protests and Riots” — what this page in the network covers. France's current unrest over pension reforms echoes a long tradition of mass demonstrations that have shaped the nation. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported a calmer night after curfews were imposed, but the images of burning barricades and tear gas are familiar in a country where street protest is a powerful political force. The 1968 student-worker uprising nearly toppled the government, while 1995 strikes forced a prime minister to abandon reforms.
More recently, the Yellow Vest movement in 2018 drew hundreds of thousands over fuel taxes and inequality. These protests are not just about specific policies—they reflect deep-seated French values of social solidarity and resistance to perceived injustice. With unions vowing to continue, the question is whether Macron's government will bend to pressure or hold firm. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.