The French Communist Party (PCF) called for a broad mobilisation against austerity, rising living costs and the deterioration of public services, urging students, workers and other social groups to unite their struggles.
French Communist Party calls for wider mobilisation against austerity
The party backed demonstrations on 17 October 2026 and is working to build momentum for a nationwide day of strikes and protests scheduled for 5 November, organised through an inter-union initiative.
In a statement published on 14 October, the PCF linked the student movement over education to workers’ grievances over stagnant wages, job cuts and insufficient resources in public services. It called for the convergence of youth and labour mobilisations, while emphasising that cooperation with trade unions and youth organisations should respect their independence. The party also demanded an end to restrictions on student demonstrations and police repression.
Following the 17 October demonstrations, the PCF described the mobilisation as an expression of widespread social discontent spanning generations and professions. Party leader Fabien Roussel said that the demands of hundreds of thousands of peaceful demonstrators could not be ignored. The PCF condemned the destruction of public facilities, the burning of Limoges town hall and looting in several cities, while arguing that such incidents risked diverting attention from the movement’s social demands. It also criticised police handling of the protests and called for an investigation into both the violence and the policing of demonstrations.
The party’s programme includes increases in wages, pensions and social benefits; the creation of public-sector and industrial jobs; greater funding for schools; and the recruitment of 90,000 teachers. It also proposes redirecting public subsidies to businesses towards employment, wages and environmental objectives, alongside higher contributions from large fortunes and financial income.
On 18 October, Roussel called on the government to convene a social conference involving trade unions, employers and youth organisations to address the demands emerging from the protests. The PCF also urged its elected representatives and activists to assist with cleaning streets and repairing damage caused during the unrest, and expressed solidarity with affected local authorities and shopkeepers.
The next major test for the movement will be 5 November. The PCF is calling for a large-scale strike and demonstration day alongside the trade unions, aiming to bring together student protests and workplace struggles around purchasing power, wages, pensions and public services. The wider trade-union movement has likewise maintained the date.