France Brings Forward Minimum Wage Rise to 1 December
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced that the minimum wage will rise by 1.6 percent on 1 December 2026, a month earlier than the scheduled date of 1 January 2027. According to Al Jazeera, the current minimum monthly wage of 1,477.93 euros would rise by 24 euros to 1,502 euros.
Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou said the government decided to bring the increase forward to December 1 and set it at 1.6 percent. Lecornu described the rise as the second-largest in 20 years. France's previous minimum wage increase came in June, a 35-euro rise triggered by inflation. France's statutory hourly minimum, known as the Smic, is currently 12.31 euros, according to the BBC.
The announcement follows weeks of student-led demonstrations over underfunded schools, which broadened into protests about the cost of living. On Thursday, 5 November, hundreds of thousands of striking workers rallied across France to demand higher wages and more money for schools, according to AFP. France's Interior Ministry said 575,000 people joined the protests during the workers' strike, and Reuters reported that the marches were largely peaceful.
Unions have pressed for larger increases. The CFDT called for a 100-euro rise, and its head, Marylise Leon, called the announced increase insufficient. The CGT demanded a 10 percent rise, equivalent to around 150 euros a month. Its leader, Sophie Binet, described the announced increase as crumbs.
The timing is unusual but not without precedent. In 2024, the government also brought forward the annual January revaluation of the Smic, moving it to 1 November with a 2 percent increase, according to the French Labour Ministry.
