Chaotic Scenes From France's Gas Stations as Fuel Crisis Continues

French drivers have been jammed in hours-long lines and caught in brawls at gas pumps as the country's fuel crisis continues.

The gas supply in France is drying up as workers strike at oil refineries run by TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil, demanding a pay raise to keep up with inflation. The oil giants have seen profits surge as Russia's war in Ukraine drove up energy prices—TotalEnergies reported profits of $10 billion in the first half of 2022, paying an estimated $8 billion in dividends and an additional special dividend to investors.

Meanwhile, French households are being stretched thin by the rising costs of fuel and food. Although inflation is lower in France than in other parts of Europe, hitting 5.6 percent in September, the war in Ukraine has sharpened a cost-of-living crisis. The Confédération Générale du Travail union (CGT) is demanding a wage increase of 10 percent for oil workers at TotalEnergies—7 percent to offset inflation and 3 percent to share in the company's profits.

The oil strikes have shut down six of France's seven refineries, according to French media. Over 30 percent of gas stations across the country lacked at least one grade of fuel this week, with that figure reaching 44 percent in the area surrounding Paris.

As workers enter their third week of strikes, drivers are growing desperate for fuel. Videos circulating on social media have shown people yelling and even physically fighting over gas pumps. Others show hours-long lines of cars and motorcycles waiting at gas stations.

A video with nearly 1 million views on TikTok showed police officers pushing their vehicle, suggesting that even the police are running out of fuel.

Another TikTok clip showed police officers checking on cars lined up for a gas station in Arras, a city in northern France.

"Police are present to prevent overflowing and ensure that no one is filling cans," explained the TikTok user. "Additionally, look at the motorists' reserve: if it's more than half filled, turn around."

Police are also monitoring some stations where exclusive access is provided to essential workers such as health care professionals, reported France24.

The French government ordered striking workers to return to their jobs on Thursday, saying that fuel shortages posed a serious threat to the economy. The CGT union has lashed back, with senior representative Emmanuel Lépine warning in the French media that forcing union members back to work would mean "war."

Memories of the 2018-2019 Yellow Vest movement are still fresh in France. Those mass demonstrations saw millions of people take to the streets to protest the government's increased tax on fuel, while many French households struggled to afford the cost of living.

Newsweek reached out to the CGT union for comment.