French PM Lecornu holds talks over protesters' cost-of-living concerns

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu met representatives ​of employers' organisations and private-sector unions ​on Monday to try to ‌address cost-of-living concerns ​that have sparked some of France's worst civil unrest in years. Lecornu will present measures to address the concerns at ‌a press conference later on Monday and they are expected to include a small increase in the minimum wage.

The government is eager to find ways to ease the anger of French ‌people but has little room for manoeuvre because of its mounting debt burden. The government ‌has said it is considering a further increase in the minimum wage, which was raised by €35 in June to €1,478 ($1,659) net per month to reflect higher inflation.

Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou, who was expected to attend ⁠Monday's ​talks, has said he ⁠would like it to exceed €1,500 net, provided the increase does not "harm employment". The CFDT, France's largest union, ⁠is calling for a €100 net increase, while the hard-left CGT is demanding a 10% rise, equivalent to ​around €150 net.

"The hike can't be €5, the price of a kilo of tomatoes," ⁠CGT chief Sophie Binet said on Monday. "Anger won't disappear just because the government has announced a few extra euros ⁠for ​the minimum wage." Protests erupted in French high schools in September but have since spiralled into a broader outpouring of anger over living costs, public services and political stagnation.

The ⁠unrest comes five months before France's presidential election. Opinion polls currently suggest far-right candidate Marine Le ⁠Pen will face ⁠hard-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon in a run-off. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is completing his second term and whose approval ratings are low ‌in opinion ‌polls, is barred from running again.