Strikes and demonstrations are planned across France on Thursday, with trade unions urging the government to address rising living costs and proposed budget cuts. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take part in marches across the country.
The industrial action is set to affect a wide range of sectors, including hospitals, air traffic control, the post office, schools and rail services. The national rail operator SNCF warned of "disturbances" to train services on regional lines and parts of the greater Paris area, while dockers announced disruption at French ports.
The education ministry said it expected almost 18% of nursery and primary school teachers to strike. Trade unions said secondary school teachers were also expected to join the action.
The protests follow weeks of social unrest and represent a fresh test for President Emmanuel Macron in his final months in office. High school students have been blockading schools over overcrowded classes and dilapidated buildings, arguing that the government's proposed measures — including capping some class sizes and loaning funds to regional authorities for repairs — fall short of what is needed. University students have also joined in blockading some faculties.
France's four main rail unions said ahead of Thursday's action that the government's proposed budget cuts would "worsen poverty, slash social security, freeze state workers' salaries and dry up investment needed for environmental measures."
The government is struggling to pass a belt-tightening budget through a divided parliament, with public debt approaching 120% of economic output.
Rights groups have raised concerns over what they describe as heavy policing and restrictions on demonstrations in city centres, as well as curfews in certain areas. The French Human Rights League said there was an "authoritarian shift" aimed at stifling "any dissenting voice."
Sophie Binet, head of the leftwing CGT union, said: "We're living at a very serious time with a very dangerous authoritarian drift from the government," criticising decisions by authorities in cities such as Rennes, Toulouse and Lyon to push demonstrations out of city centres.
Marylise Léon, head of the moderate CFDT trade union, said: "The principle of a demonstration is its visibility."
Trade unions from across the political spectrum have joined the call for strikes, with private school teacher unions participating alongside their state school counterparts.
Amid the unrest over living costs, public spending cuts and the troubled education system, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is polling strongly ahead of the 2027 presidential election, in which she is expected to stand to succeed Macron.
