France Moves Minimum Wage Hike Up to Dec. 1 as Cost-of-Living Protests Grow

France will raise its minimum wage by 1.6% from Dec. 1, 2026, a month earlier than planned, as the government tries to calm weeks of protests over the cost of living, Al Jazeera reported. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the change Monday. The increase had been scheduled for the start of 2027.

For minimum-wage workers, that means a bigger paycheck sooner. The two largest unions say it is still not enough.

What it means for people on the minimum wage

The monthly minimum wage, known as the SMIC, currently stands at 1,477.93 euros. The rise adds 24 euros and takes it to 1,502 euros.

Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou told a press conference that the government made two decisions: it moved the increase to Dec. 1 from Jan. 1, and it raised the size of the increase to 1.6%.

Lecornu called it the second-largest rise in 20 years and said it should not be underestimated. He stressed that the boost is “not merely symbolic,” and said it has been planned carefully so that it does not lead to job losses.

The last increase came in June, when inflation triggered a hike of 35 euros.

Why the unions are not satisfied

Even with the faster timetable, the raise falls short of what the unions are asking for. The CFDT, France’s largest union, has called for an increase of 100 euros. The left-wing CGT is demanding 10%, which Al Jazeera put at around 150 euros a month.

CFDT head Marylise Léon called the increase insufficient. CGT head Sophie Binet described it as “crumbs.”

What is behind the protests

The government’s move comes after weeks of student-led demonstrations. They began with calls for more investment in the country’s underfunded schools, but have grown into broader protests and serious unrest over living costs, Al Jazeera reported. The outlet describes them as part of a wave of protests across Europe.

What is at stake politically

The government is worried about mounting social tension five months before presidential elections. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is the frontrunner in the polls, according to Al Jazeera.

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the France Unbowed party, who has been accused of encouraging the unrest, unveiled his program on Saturday to some 17,000 supporters. He pledged to boost the economy by tapping consumer spending and “billions of euros that already exist,” saying the savings must be directed to the country’s environmental and social needs.

The wage increase will not settle the argument between the government and the unions, but it puts a fixed date on a pay rise for minimum-wage workers before the end of the year. Whether it is enough to calm the demonstrations remains to be seen.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by Al Jazeera