(FILES) (FILES) A photograph taken on April 24, 2023, in Lille shows figurines of workers arranged around letters forming SMIC, the acronym for the French "guaranteed minimum growth wage". The minimum wage increased by 2.41% on June 1, 2026 to keep pace with rising inflation driven by the war in the Middle East, in a hike that was not accompanied by any additional government boost. (Photo by DENIS CHARLET / AFP via Getty Images)