Paris: France is preparing for a nationwide wave of strikes and demonstrations on Thursday, as anger grows against the government’s newly announced budget cuts. A broad coalition of trade unions has called on teachers, railway staff, pharmacists, hospital workers, and public sector employees to walk off their jobs, warning that the austerity measures will push working families deeper into hardship while leaving the wealthy largely untouched.
At the center of the turmoil is the government’s plan to reduce spending and curb the deficit, which has soared to nearly twice the European Union’s official limit of three percent of GDP. The measures include adjustments to pensions and reductions in public services, steps that union leaders have denounced as “unfair” and “brutal.” They argue that the government is failing to hold the wealthiest citizens accountable, and instead placing the burden of fiscal discipline on ordinary workers.
President Emmanuel Macron and his newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu are under growing pressure. Lecornu, who stepped into office only weeks ago after the previous government fell to a no-confidence vote, now faces his first major test of leadership. While he has suggested openness to dialogue, there is no clear indication that the administration is prepared to reverse the most contentious aspects of the budget.
The scale of Thursday’s protests is expected to be significant. Union organizers project as many as 800,000 demonstrators across the country, including one-third of primary school teachers, widespread rail and metro disruptions, and the closure of many pharmacies. Electricity supply could also be affected, as workers from France’s powerful energy sector join the mobilization.
The French government has responded by deploying an extensive security operation. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced that 80,000 police and gendarmes will be on duty nationwide, supported by riot-control units, drones, and armoured vehicles. Authorities are particularly concerned about blockades at fuel depots, transport hubs, and other strategic points, as well as the possibility of clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.
For the unions, however, the strikes are not only about opposing specific cuts but also about demanding a new approach to economic governance. “This is a question of fairness,” union leaders emphasized, arguing that France’s fiscal recovery must be balanced by taxing wealth and investing in essential services rather than stripping them away.
As the country braces for disruption, the protests are emerging as a defining moment in France’s political season. For many French citizens, the struggle transcends budget figures it reflects deeper anxieties about inequality, the future of public services, and whether their voices are heard in national decision-making. Whether the government chooses confrontation or compromise in the coming days may well shape the political landscape for years to come.