France is bracing for fresh nationwide protests on Saturday, as unions and students march in Paris and the Yellow Vests movement plans a separate rally despite a ban.

Student organisations and unions have called an authorised march through central Paris against the high cost of living and in support of young people, departing from Place de la République at 2pm and heading to Place de la Nation.

The Yellow Vests have declined to join that march. Instead, they have urged supporters to gather at Place de la Concorde, near parliament and the palace, despite the prohibition. "We are calling for mass disobedience," said Benjamin Ball, a member of the movement's coordinating committee.

70,000 officers deployed

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 70,000 police officers and security personnel would be deployed across the country. "If there are any rioters or looters… we'll be ready and waiting for them," he said.

Authorities are determined to avoid a repeat of the rioting and looting that marred demonstrations on 17 October, France's worst unrest in years. The interior ministry said Thursday's protests had "generally gone well" despite 642 arrests.

The demonstrations follow weeks of youth-led unrest and nationwide strikes over the rising cost of living. On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of workers marched across France, with the interior ministry counting 575,000 participants and the CGT union estimating 1.6 million.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has said he will discuss wages and purchasing power with trade union and employer representatives at a social conference on Monday. Unions are seeking a rise in the minimum wage, which has had no discretionary increase since 2012, and pay rises.

The protests come less than six months before voters choose a successor to President Emmanuel Macron, who cannot seek another term, with the far right ahead in the polls.