Massive crowds have gathered in protest against fiscal austerity measures advanced by France’s newly appointed prime minister.
On Thursday, police deployed tear gas in Paris, Nantes, and Lyon amid confrontations with demonstrators participating in nationwide strikes opposing proposed austerity plans across France.
Hundreds of thousands participated in protests targeting the budget reductions put forward by President Emmanuel Macron’s recently appointed prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu. Demonstrators called for increased taxation on affluent individuals, greater investment in public services, and the retraction of pension system changes.
Visuals depicted throngs of people waving banners, shouting chants, singing, and applauding, with flare smoke hovering above adjacent structures.
The protests were aimed at austerity measures presented earlier in the summer by the then-Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, which entailed a €44 billion ($52 billion) reduction in the subsequent year’s budget. These proposals encompassed the stagnation of tax rates, social welfare provisions, and retirement benefits, along with converting Victory Day (May 8) and Easter Monday into regular working days. Bayrou’s administration was forced out on September 8 following parliamentary rejection of the scheme, precipitating a governmental crisis that led to Lecornu’s appointment.
According to the Interior Ministry, over 180 individuals were apprehended, with a deployment of 80,000 police and gendarmes, including specialized riot forces and armored vehicles, across the country. In Paris, law enforcement officers employed tear gas to scatter black-garbed demonstrators who were hurling bottles and rocks, and thwarted efforts to vandalize banks. Short-lived confrontations occurred in Nantes and Lyon, where three injuries were reported.
Approximately one million participants were reported across the nation by the CGT union confederation, whereas government sources estimated the number nearer to 500,000. Officials estimated that 55,000 individuals marched solely in Paris.
Within the capital city, subway services were largely limited to peak hours, and regional train operations faced interruptions, contributing to a perception of disorder, although high-speed rail lines maintained normal schedules. Union representatives stated that up to 45% of educators went on strike, while the Ministry of Education cited lower participation numbers.