Workers Across France Strike Against Budget Cuts

France was hit by mass strikes and protests on Thursday, as unions mobilised against planned budget cuts they say would harm public services.

Organisers claimed one million people joined demonstrations, though the interior ministry estimated the number at 500,000. Some 80,000 police officers were deployed nationwide. Clashes broke out in Paris, Lyon and Nantes, where riot police used tear gas after small groups damaged businesses and property. More than 300 people were detained.

Disruption Nationwide

The strikes caused major disruption to public transport, with several Paris metro lines shut down. Roads were blocked in major cities, while students staged sit-ins outside schools and universities. Roughly a third of teachers joined the walkout, and 98% of pharmacies were reported closed.

Political Backdrop

The protests come just days after Sébastien Lecornu replaced François Bayrou as prime minister, following Bayrou’s ousting over his €44bn (£38bn) austerity plan. While Lecornu has opened talks with opposition parties, he has not ruled out spending cuts, leaving unions and protesters wary.

France’s public debt now equals nearly €50,000 per citizen, a pressure successive governments have sought to address with unpopular cuts. Bayrou and his predecessor Michel Barnier both lost power after failed budget proposals.

Voices from the Streets

Protesters called for higher taxes on the wealthy instead of cuts to services.

“Macron’s economic and social policies don’t suit me, nor did Bayrou’s budget,” said Cyrielle, a 36-year-old IT worker at a Paris rally.

Union leader Sophie Binet of the CGT urged mass mobilisation:

“We need to be out in force… to force the government and employers to put an end to policies that only serve the richest.”

Meanwhile, left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon called for discipline, warning that violence would play into the hands of security forces.

A Government Under Pressure

With a deeply divided parliament, Lecornu faces the same challenge as his predecessors: balancing the need to rein in debt with public anger at austerity. His room for manoeuvre is limited—and Thursday’s protests suggest unions are ready for a long fight.