It absolutely is an effect of the same austerity policies imposed across most European nations to support the war effort against Russia. These protests in France started with students against the school funding, but they quickly swelled to involve many workers from other industries affected by the same austerity. The cost of living seems to be one of the main issues. All of this is our leaders’ fault, because they decide to impose austerity on us to move more money to the black hole of Ukraine, and preparing to a war that nobody wants to fight.