Tens of thousands of people have taken part in a demonstration in Paris called by the Communist Party in support of job creation, greater security for employees and an end to redundancies.

Among the marchers were several thousand members of far-left organisations opposed to the policies of the government coalition, to which the communists belong.

The leader of the French Communist Party, Robert Hue, had predicted that 50,000 demonstrators would take to the streets to support the protest.

He claimed that the actual number was nearer 70,000 - a total disputed by the police, who put the figure at about half that.

Communist Party leader Robert Hue, right, leads the demonstration

But large numbers of party members did make the journey from all parts of the country to denounce unemployment and press the case for more jobs, an end to redundancies and greater job security.

They also condemned the role of international financial markets and the French employers' organisation.

The socialists, the senior partners in the ruling coalition, refused to take part in the march, though some smaller parties represented in the coalition did.

There were also several thousand supporters of far-left parties, which are critical of the government.

It was the fear that their presence on the march might turn it into an anti-government protest that led the socialists to boycott it.

In the event, there were few overt attacks on the government, even though the far-left condemns the 35-hour working week introduced by the government as inadequate and restrictive.