By Michelle Ndaga
France was gripped by major strikes and mass protests on Thursday as trade unions mobilized workers across multiple sectors to oppose President Emmanuel Macron’s austerity measures, intensifying pressure on his government to revise its fiscal plans.
The coordinated action comes in response to a €44 billion austerity package that includes cuts to public services, pension freezes, and the elimination of two public holidays as part of efforts to bring France’s deficit closer to the EU’s 3% target.
Unions argue the measures disproportionately burden low- and middle-income earners and threaten the country’s social safety net.
Transport networks were severely disrupted, with metro and suburban train services in Paris running on reduced schedules, while many schools, pharmacies, and public offices closed for the day.
Authorities deployed around 80,000 police and gendarmes nationwide amid fears of violent clashes, with up to 900,000 demonstrators expected to join the rallies.
The protests present an early test for newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, tasked with steering France through its fiscal challenges and calming public anger.
Opposition parties, led by the Socialist Party, have called for the government to roll back pension reforms and restore funding for key social programs.
Unions have vowed to maintain pressure until concrete policy shifts are made. “Dialogue is not enough we need action that protects workers and the most vulnerable,” one union leader told reporters.
Analysts say Macron’s ability to navigate the political fallout from the strikes could shape the stability of his administration as it prepares the 2026 budget.
