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IrelandFrench wage protests show the cost-of-living anger beyond US ballots
A South Korean report links Republican election losses with French demonstrations over prices, pay and strained public services.
South KoreaStory of Why this story? One of MBCNEWS's most watched videos since yesterday, with 284,920 views.
MBCNEWS: The news division of MBC, a publicly owned South Korean broadcaster. 6.2M subscribers and 32B views.
![미국 선거 뒤흔들고 유럽 덮쳤다.. "쪼들려 못살겠다" '고물가 분노' - [핫이슈PLAY] MBC뉴스 2026년 11월 08일](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rXHxuwv94BQ/maxresdefault.jpg?v=6aef9ae6)
미국 선거 뒤흔들고 유럽 덮쳤다.. "쪼들려 못살겠다" '고물가 분노' - [핫이슈PLAY] MBC뉴스 2026년 11월 08일
Fuel, food, rent, gas and electricity are getting more expensive, while wages and pensions fail to keep up: that is the complaint from French unions at the center of a report connecting household pressure on both sides of the Atlantic.
South Korea's Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) reports that more than 600,000 people joined strikes and demonstrations across France, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Nantes. Major unions and student groups took to the streets on weekdays as well as during the weekend protests described in the report, demanding higher pay and better public services.
In a joint statement cited by the broadcaster, unions warned of recession risks and growing layoff plans. They urged the government to address social and environmental problems without delay, describing widespread anger over the gap between rising bills and household incomes.
The report frames those protests against the Republican Party's heavy losses in the US midterm elections. Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, changing the political conditions for President Donald Trump's remaining term.
MBC's analysis identifies living costs as a decisive source of voter dissatisfaction, pointing to Democratic victories in traditionally Republican-leaning Texas, Kansas and South Carolina. It argues that pressure on household budgets can outweigh ideological loyalties.
The broadcaster attributes much of the oil-price surge to the Iran war, which it says Trump began in February, with Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries adding further pressure. It also cites a pre-election forecast that average US gasoline prices could reach a record across presidential administrations.
Its European warning is about the same political vulnerability, expressed differently: American voters have delivered an electoral rebuke, while French demonstrators are demanding that pay and public services catch up with the cost of everyday life.
Published on Trari
Where next?
- Channel
- MBCNEWS
- Subscribers
- 6,210,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 184,323,768
- Channel views, pace per day
- 17,621,394 (on a normal day: 19,701,980)
- Video published
- November 7, 2026
- Video views so far
- 284,920 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 717,998
The numbers
The report drew about 285,000 views since yesterday, placing it among South Korea's most-watched new news videos.
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Which currency do people use for everyday purchases in France?
France is part of the euro area and uses the euro.