French cities were on edge on Thursday as nationwide protests and strikes against President Emmanuel Macron’s austerity measures brought daily life to a halt.
Public transport networks were paralysed, schools closed their gates, and tens of thousands of people marched in demonstrations that occasionally descended into violent clashes with police.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, recently appointed as Macron’s seventh head of government, had pledged a clean break from the past but has struggled to quell public anger.
His appointment at just 39, after serving as defence minister, has not stopped unions or protesters from rejecting the policies of his predecessor, François Bayrou, particularly the €44 billion cost-cutting budget.
Despite Lecornu’s vow to abolish lifetime benefits for former prime ministers and to abandon plans to scrap two public holidays, resentment remains strong.
“Every day the richest get richer and the poor get poorer,” said Bruno Cavalier, a 64-year-old protester in Lyon, holding a placard reading “Smile, you are being taxed.”
Security forces deployed more than 80,000 police officers and gendarmes, supported by drones, armoured vehicles, and water cannons, to contain the unrest.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed that as of midday, 76,500 people had joined the protests, noting that rallies were “less intense than expected”.
Unions reported widespread participation, with around one in six teachers walking out, nine in ten pharmacies shutting, and numerous workplaces witnessing strikes.
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“We have recorded 260 demonstrations across France,” said Sophie Binet, leader of the CGT union, adding, “There are thousands and thousands of strikes in all workplaces.”
Commuters in Paris struggled with severe disruption as only the driverless metro lines operated normally.
Police in Paris and Marseille fired tear gas at unauthorised gatherings, and an AFPTV journalist captured footage of a policeman kicking a demonstrator in Marseille.
Authorities said the officers were responding to “hostile” actions by protesters, while in Lyon, both a journalist and a police officer were injured during scuffles.
In Lille, demonstrators blocked bus depots in an early morning action led by unions.
“The aim is to show the government that we’re here, that we’re fed up with being taxed like crazy, that we’re fed up with having trouble making ends meet,” said Samuel Gaillard, a 58-year-old refuse collector.
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Students joined in as about 300 pupils barricaded the Maurice Ravel secondary school in Paris, chanting slogans like “block your school against austerity”.
The unrest is being seen as the most significant union-led mobilisation since 2023 when Macron forced through his controversial pension reform without a parliamentary vote.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the hard left, told a rally in Marseille that “The president is the source of chaos, and everything that has happened recently is the result of his actions.”
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez warned of “very concerned” risks of violence, urging central shops to close in anticipation of rioters infiltrating marches.
The government now faces a critical test of authority as Macron struggles with record-low popularity just 18 months before the end of his presidency.
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