In France, tens of thousands demonstrated against health passports and stricter corona rules for the fourth weekend in a row.

There were rallies again on Saturday in the capital Paris, but also in numerous other cities.

In Nice on the Mediterranean, between 10,000 and 20,000 people took to the streets, according to a report by the news channel BFMTV.

Last weekend, according to official information, there were a total of more than 200,000 participants in around 150 cities across the country.

Police officials assumed a similar broad participation on Saturday.

On Thursday, the French Constitutional Council approved the controversial compulsory vaccination for health care personnel and the so-called health passport, which provides information about a negative test or a vaccination. From Monday, a vaccination, recovery or a negative test must be proven when entering restaurants and cafés, health facilities, some shopping centers, trade fairs and fairs, as well as for long-distance travel in public transport. This has been the case for cultural and leisure facilities since July.

Critics speak of a "compulsory vaccination through the back door".

“I'm not necessarily against vaccinations,” said computer scientist Stéphane.

The 50-year-old protester came to the protest march in Paris with his wife and two teenage children.

"It bothers me that they force this vaccination on me and it scares me because of my children."

According to Alexandre Fourez, the demonstration in Paris is the first.

"The problem with the health passport is that it is forced on us," said the 34-year-old man.

In addition, it is difficult for him to believe that the regulation will actually remain limited in time in the end.

Opposition politicians had submitted the controversial law to the Constitutional Council for examination.

They saw the principle of equality for all citizens in jeopardy and pointed to the lower proportion of vaccinated people in poorer sections of the population.

France is currently in the fourth wave of corona.

Within a week there were last about 225 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants nationwide.

The federal government is now classifying larger parts of southern France as a corona high-risk area.

From Sunday on, this applies to Provence, the Côte d'Azur and the island of Corsica, among others.

French overseas territories such as Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, St. Martin and St. Barthélemy are also affected.