French families, students and private sector workers joined mass demonstrations today against the government's pension reforms.
Trade unions hoped as many as 3 million protesters would take to the streets.
The day of protest is the fourth round of rallies in as many months against a bill that would increase the retirement age. The bill will be debated in the Senate from October 5th.
About 230 protests are scheduled across the country after huge demonstrations last month against a reform deemed unjust by unions but essential by Mr Sarkozy.
"We are a lot more today than during the week," said Xavier Petrachi, a delegate at the CGT union in Toulouse.
"It's got a real family feel, buggies are out. France is protesting."
A survey published by French daily newspaper L'Humanite showed more than 70 percent of people backed the day of action.
Unions are on a war footing across Europe as governments slash spending to dig their way out of debts run up during the global recession of 2008-09, the worst since World War Two.
"We need a show of strength," said Jean-Claude Mailly, head of the more radical Force Ouvriere union. "The government is frozen ... they are committed to meeting Brussels' 3 percent target and are under the thumb of financial markets."
The government says its legislation is essential to erase a growing deficit in the pay-as-you-go pension system, curb rising public debt and preserve France's AAA credit rating, which enables it to borrow at low financial market rates.
Strikes and protests were held on September 23rd and work stoppages disrupted schools, flights and public transport.
The bill would raise the minimum legal retirement age to 62 from 60 and the age at which people can retire on a full pension to 67 from 65.
It is a major part of the government's plan to balance the system's finances by 2018.
"I am listening to the protesters, I understand their anger, but the role of the head of state is to fulfil his responsibilities," Mr Sarkozy said yesterday.
"The pension reform and budget cuts are essential for our competititivity (sic)."
Reuters