Agencies | Paris:
ens of thousands of trade union members joined nationwide strikes and demonstrations across France on Thursday, demanding higher wages and improved public services while extending support to a growing high school protest movement, mounting pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
The demonstrations, held after more than a month of recurring protests over the rising cost of living, took place in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and several other cities. Trade unions said around 260 rallies had been planned nationwide.
Students also staged fresh protests, with nearly a third of France’s high schools reportedly closed or unable to function because of student blockades or teachers joining the strike.
The industrial action severely disrupted public transport services, while the iconic Eiffel Tower remained closed for the day. Police in the northeastern city of Strasbourg urged residents to exercise “extreme caution” near certain schools amid tensions surrounding the protests.
In Paris, thousands gathered at Place de la République, where the atmosphere remained largely festive despite a heavy security deployment. The gathering contrasted with demonstrations on October 17, which were marred by rioting and looting.
Protesters marched under trade union banners as hundreds of musicians performed with brass, string and percussion instruments, accompanied by choirs, turning the square into a vibrant centre of protest against the country’s mounting economic difficulties.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said around 70,000 police officers had been deployed across the country, supported by armoured vehicles, drones and helicopters. Police have faced criticism over alleged heavy-handed tactics and injuries to demonstrators, while some rallies have witnessed violence involving masked individuals not affiliated with the unions.
France’s major trade unions warned that the country was facing the risk of recession, with layoff plans increasing and households struggling to cope with soaring prices.
“Fuel, food products, rent, gas, electricity … everything’s going up except wages and pensions,” the unions said in a joint statement, calling for better pay and stronger protection for workers.
Fabien Villedieu of the SUD-Rail union, speaking at Paris’s Gare de Lyon station, defended the decision to strike, saying: “When the government is not reasonable … we simply do what we’ve always done in France, which is to go on strike.”
The protest movement began in September with demonstrations over staff shortages at a high school near Paris. It has since expanded to include demands for increased education funding, improved pensions and relief from rising fuel costs.
The growing unrest has also begun to overlap with the political campaign ahead of next May’s presidential election, with parties across the political spectrum seeking to capitalise on public dissatisfaction with the government.
The nationwide mobilisation reflects mounting frustration over the cost of living and concerns about wages, employment, education and public services.
