Up to three million people took to the streets of France on Thursday for a second round of protests against President Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of the economic crisis.
Polls say the rallies are backed by three-quarters of the French public.
In Paris, several hundred youths clashed briefly with police at the end of a union rally.
Unions said the turnout on Thursday exceeded the numbers at an earlier day of nationwide protests on 29 January.
Despite the crowds, Prime Minister Francois Fillon rejected demands for more state aid, saying there were no plans for further stimulus measures.
More than two million people are out of work. The government predicts that the economy will contract by 1.5% this year.
A stimulus plan worth 26 billion euros ($US36 billion) was introduced last year aimed at business investment. Additional aid worth 2.65 billion euros was offered following the earlier strike to help households weather the storm.
The CGT said 3 million people joined the protests in Paris and provincial towns and cities. However, the interior ministry said only 1.2 million took part.
