By Salma El-Sakka
French trade unions united Thursday for nationwide strikes and demonstrations demanding higher wages and supporting high school protests, increasing pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government.
Mass Mobilization Across Major Cities
Major rallies are expected in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille with hundreds of thousands of participants, while transportation disruptions and school closures are anticipated as teachers join the strike. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 70,000 police officers are being deployed, backed by armored vehicles, drones, and helicopters.
Economic Warnings and Protest Origins
In a joint statement, France's main unions warned the country is on the brink of recession with layoff plans multiplying, noting that costs for fuel, food, rent, gas, and electricity are rising while wages and pensions stagnate. France is mired in debt and ranks among Europe's worst economic performers alongside Italy and Belgium.
The movement began in September over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris and spread nationwide, drawing students demanding more education funding and workers seeking relief from soaring fuel and living costs. The government had been negotiating with unions in hopes of limiting the unrest, which has become France's worst civil unrest in years.
