Lecornu Advances France Minimum Wage Hike to December

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced on Monday that the national minimum wage increase will take effect in December rather than January.

The adjustment raises the monthly net wage to 1,502 euros, a 24 euro gain over the current rate that has been in place since June.

Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou confirmed at a press conference that the wage, typically adjusted on January 1 to match inflation, will be brought forward following discussions with trade unions and business leaders.

The government aims to defuse a cost-of-living crisis that has sparked weeks of demonstrations across the country.

Unrest began in September over underfunded schools but expanded to include anger over public services and political stagnation.

Riots in major cities on October 17 caught security forces off guard and marked some of France's worst civil unrest in years.

Union leaders criticized the measure as too small, with CFDT head Marylise Leon calling the increase insufficient and CGT head Sophie Binet describing it as crumbs.

Binet stated that the group did not come to beg for alms and called for new protests on November 17.

The CFDT had requested a 100 euro increase, while the CGT demanded a 10% rise equivalent to roughly 150 euros a month.

Lecornu defended the decision after meeting with unions and employers, noting it is the second-biggest increase in 20 years.

He said the measure should not be held in contempt.

The move is constrained by the government's mounting debt burden and the upcoming presidential election in five months, where Marine Le Pen leads the polls against potential rival Jean-Luc Melenchon.