France was rocked on Thursday by nationwide strikes and demonstrations as protesters clashed with police, disrupted public transport, and blocked key roads in defiance of President Emmanuel Macron’s government and its proposed budget cuts.
The walkouts brought the Paris Metro to a near standstill, with traffic slowdowns and blockades crippling parts of the capital and other cities. Tensions flared early, as riot police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds before sunrise.
“We say ‘no’ to the government. We’ve had enough. There’s no more money, a high cost of living,” said striking transport worker Nadia Belhoum at a protest outside a Paris bus depot. “People are agonizing, being squeezed like a lemon even if there’s no more juice.”
Teachers also joined the movement. “Public service is falling apart. It’s always the same people who pay,” said Claudia Nunez, who marched alongside colleagues.
The strikes were called by major labor unions in opposition to the government’s proposed spending cuts, welfare freezes, and debt-reduction measures. Critics argue these austerity-driven policies would disproportionately affect low- and middle-income households, worsening living conditions in a country already grappling with inflation and stagnant wages.
For many, the battle goes beyond economics. France’s social safety net — free schools, subsidized health care, unemployment benefits, and public hospitals — is seen as a cornerstone of the nation’s identity and equality. Opponents accuse Macron’s pro-business government of eroding these protections, while favoring the wealthy and corporations.
Left-wing parties, union leaders, and grassroots organizations are urging Macron to shift the financial burden onto businesses and the affluent through higher taxes, rather than reducing state spending. “It’s about priorities,” one protester said. “Do we weaken hospitals and schools, or do we ask the richest to contribute more?”
The unrest is the latest in a long line of mass demonstrations that have defined Macron’s presidency. From the Yellow Vest movement to the nationwide strikes against pension reforms, French streets have repeatedly become a battleground between government austerity plans and public resistance. Analysts warn that the new wave of protests could put further pressure on Macron’s already fragile approval ratings and test his ability to push through reforms in his second term.
