Students and Public Workers Protest Budget Cuts Ahead of Elections

In a wave of demonstrations across France, high school students have taken to blockading numerous schools while public sector workers have gone on strike, both actions driven by deep-seated grievances over proposed budget cuts ahead of next year’s presidential election.

This surge in protests has emerged just seven months before the election and only days before the government plans to present its draft budget for 2027. Opinion polls indicate mounting frustration with President Emmanuel Macron and his centrist government’s policies.

Recent student protests have intensified due to issues like overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of teachers. According to the Ministry of National Education, over 330 high schools—nearly 10% of the total—have been affected by these demonstrations.

On Tuesday alone, authorities reported 40 arrests, with 10 individuals—including both students and school staff—sustaining injuries. In a notable incident, teachers at a high school in the Paris suburbs formed a protective barrier around students protesting against police interventions.

In Lille, masked students gathered outside Lycee Cesar Baggio, where they set garbage bins aflame. Reports indicate vandalism occurred, targeting bus shelters and advertising billboards, with objects being thrown at police who responded with tear gas.

In Nantes, students piled up bins to barricade the entrance to Lycee Gabriel Guist’hau, while a tense standoff unfolded between students and police outside the Arago school in Paris. Similar confrontations have been reported in cities like Marseille, Bordeaux, and Lyon.

Public Sector Workers Add Their Voices

Joining the students in their protests, professional firefighters highlighted the resource shortages that became glaringly apparent during this summer’s devastating wildfires. Demonstrations took place in various cities, drawing attention to these critical issues.

While about 11% of teachers and educational staff participated in the strike, participation among other civil servants remained below 10%. Even fewer hospital staff members joined the action, with concerns about lost wages influencing their decision to stay at work.

Civil aviation authorities have warned that flight operations may face disruptions at certain airports amid the ongoing strikes.

CGT union leader Sophie Binet has urged the government to retract the proposed budget cuts within 48 hours, criticizing the continuation of a base pay freeze for state employees for a fourth consecutive year. This freeze is part of a cost-saving initiative amounting to €2 billion (approximately $2.2 billion) and a larger austerity plan valued at €54 billion (about $61 billion).