France Announces 1.6% Minimum Wage Increase for December

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a 1.6% increase in the national minimum wage, effective December 1, as the government seeks to address cost-of-living protests and wage concerns. The increase will add about €24 to monthly take-home pay, bringing it to approximately €1,502, according to the government’s announcement on November 9.

The adjustment combines an early inflation-linked increase that would normally take effect in January with an additional 0.6% boost. Lecornu described the rise as the second-largest minimum-wage increase in 20 years and said it would start a new round of wage discussions between employers and unions. The government said a larger increase could lead to significant job losses over the long term.

Union leaders said the increase did not meet workers’ needs. CFDT general secretary Marylise Léon called it insufficient, while CGT leader Sophie Binet said the discretionary increase beyond the inflation adjustment amounted to about €5 a month. The CFDT sought an additional €100 net per month, and the CGT called for a 10% increase, equivalent to roughly €150 monthly.

The announcement followed a meeting between the government, unions and employers’...