“Several unions have come together to announce a second day of major ‘interprofessional’ strike action – a ‘grève générale’ – on November 17. Unions including the CGT, l’UNSA, la FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC and FA-FP made the announcement following a meeting with the government on Monday November 9. More unions may back the strike before next Tuesday. The unions are once again calling on private- and public-sector workers to strike, as well as for retirees, pupils, university students, and gilets jaunes (yellow jackets) protesters to join demonstrations. Marches will be held in cities across France, and unions will look to replicate the numbers seen at the first round of strikes held on November 5. More information on disruption will be available closer to the time, but it is possible that local services, transport, healthcare, and high-street stores are all impacted.” (https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/strikes-and-protests-in-france-in-november-2026/827359)
France 24 news website provided an assessment of the political manifesto of France Unbowed, saying:
“Hard-left French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon pledged to raise the minimum wage and restore the country’s retirement age to 60 in a speech launching his 2027 election program on Saturday. Mélenchon, 75, is viewed as the strongest contender on the left and recent opinion polls have shown him reaching the presidential runoff next April against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen – but also indicate he would lose in the second round. Taking aim at the center-right Macron, he referred to recent demonstrations and rioting in France over the past months. ‘We are living through a strange moment. It is the death throes of the Macron era marked by savagery, police brutality, and the unpredictable, violent outbursts at the end of demonstrations,’ he said. He accused Macron of presiding over a ‘dark end to his reign’ and said that the far right under Le Pen had ‘no idea other than racism’. His manifesto, titled ‘L’Avenir en commun’ (‘A Shared Future’), is the fifth edition of the platform of his party, France Unbowed (LFI), and largely reaffirms policies that have formed the backbone of Mélenchon’s previous presidential bids.” (https://www.france24.com/en/france/20261107-french-presidential-hopeful-m%C3%A9lenchon-launches-campaign-by-vowing-lower-retirement-age)