Macron’s final months in office have been marked by domestic crises. The far-right, anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen was polling high for the 2027 presidential election to replace him next spring.
Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to march across France on Thursday as trade unions called a nationwide strike over rising living costs, public spending cuts and problems in the education system.
Trade unions from across the political landscape joined the call for strikes over the cost of living. High school students protesting poor teaching conditions had already been joined by workers in weekly demonstrations. University students blockaded some faculties.
The strike was expected to extend across public services as unions sought to press their case against spending cuts and for better conditions in schools and elsewhere.
Hospital workers, air traffic controllers, postal staff, teachers and rail workers were among those expected to join the action.
The education ministry said it expected almost 18 percent of nursery and primary school teachers to strike. Trade unions said they also expected secondary teachers to take part. Private school teachers’ unions joined the walkouts alongside those in state schools. France’s four main rail unions said 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 national rail operator SNCF said there would be “disturbances” to train services on regional lines and in some parts of the greater Paris area. Marylise Léon, head of the moderate CFDT union, said: “The principle of a demonstration is its visibility.”.