PARIS – Three weeks into a refinery strike that has caused fuel shortages across the country, thousands of protesters marched in Paris on Sunday, adding to a growing picture of defiance and anger about inflation.

The demonstration against the rising cost of living was called by left-wing political parties and was led by the head of the France Unbowed (LFI) party, Mr Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Some protesters wore yellow florescent vests, the symbol of often violent anti-government protests in 2018 which shook the pro-business centrist government of President Emmanuel Macron.

“Our lives are more valuable that your profits,” read one banner in the procession, which police predicted would reach around 30,000 people – relatively small by French standards.

Opponents of Mr Macron are hoping to build on the momentum created by the refinery stand-off which began at the end of September.

“You can see that this movement (at the refineries) is starting to spread,” senior LFI lawmaker Mathilde Panot told franceinfo radio.

Several French unions, but not all, have announced a national day of strikes on Tuesday that is expected to affect road transport, trains and the public sector.

The scale of the strikes and protests in the coming months is expected to have an impact on the government’s ability to push through a highly controversial change to the pensions system.

Mr Macron, who won re-election in April, has pledged to push back the retirement age from 62 before the end of the winter.

“We need to find a route between the need for reforms and that fact that people are riled up and tired,” one ruling party MP told AFP last week on condition of anonymity.

Four out of France’s seven refineries – all belonging to Paris-based energy group TotalEnergies – remained blocked on Sunday. AFP