Mass Strikes and School Blockades Sweep France Amid Budget Protests
Teachers, train drivers, pharmacists, and hospital staff joined strikes across France on Thursday, while groups of teenagers blocked dozens of high schools for hours, as part of a nationwide day of protest.
Protesters and unions are demanding that the previous government’s fiscal plans be scrapped. They are calling for increased funding for public services, higher taxes on the wealthy, and a reversal of the unpopular pension reform that requires people to work longer before retiring.
“The anger is immense, and so is the determination. My message to Mr. Lecornu today is simple: it’s the streets that must decide the budget,” said Sophie Binet, head of the CGT union.
The CGT claimed that around 1 million people took part in the strikes and demonstrations, while authorities estimated roughly half that number.
Although there were some clashes on the edges of the rallies, the violence was lower than Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau had anticipated. “I want to emphasise that, in almost all cases, marches and demonstrations took place under favourable conditions,” he said after the Paris rally concluded.
Pressure on the Government Over the Budget
President Macron’s new prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, is racing to prepare the 2026 budget while also forming a new government. He posted on X that he would meet unions again “in the coming days” and added, “The demands made by the union representatives and echoed by demonstrators are at the heart of the consultations I have initiated.”
Lecornu and Macron face pressure from multiple directions: protesters and left-wing parties oppose budget cuts, while investors worry about the deficit in the eurozone’s second-largest economy. Parliament is deeply divided, with no single group holding a majority.
“This is a warning—a clear warning to Sebastien Lecornu,” said Marylise Leon, head of the CFDT, France’s largest union. “We want a socially fair budget.”
Schools and Transport Disrupted
Nationwide, one in three primary school teachers participated in the strike, with nearly half walking out in Paris, according to the FSU-SNUIP union. Regional train services were heavily disrupted, though most high-speed TGV lines remained operational. Near Toulon, protesters gathered to slow highway traffic.
In Paris, police used teargas several times to disperse black-clad troublemakers who threw stones and beer cans. Officers also intervened to prevent attacks on banks. Minor clashes were reported in other cities, including Nantes and Lyon, where three people were injured.
Arrests and Security Measures
More than 180 people were arrested, the interior ministry said. Around 80,000 police and gendarmes, including riot units, drones, and armored vehicles, were deployed across the country.
France’s budget deficit last year was nearly double the EU’s 3% ceiling. Lecornu, reliant on other parties to pass legislation, faces a challenging path to secure parliamentary approval for the 2026 budget. His predecessor, Francois Bayrou, was recently removed by parliament over a proposed €44 billion budget cut. Lecornu has not yet announced his final plans but has signalled a willingness to compromise.
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