France is experiencing its largest wave of strikes in years, crippling essential services as President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating plunges to a record low amid demands for higher wages and improved working conditions. The unrest coincides with planned budget cuts that critics argue will further strain public sector funding. Unions and student groups have united in opposition, escalating tensions ahead of financial adjustments set to take effect in 2027.
Over 170 demonstrations took place nationwide on Tuesday, with firefighters, healthcare workers, and transportation employees leading the walkouts. In Paris, protesters obstructed major roads and ignited flares on top of the July Column at Place de la Bastille. Simultaneously, students, many from economically disadvantaged areas, clashed with police near schools, while others blockaded educational institutions across the country. The CGT union labeled the strikes a “black day,” highlighting deep-seated dissatisfaction with wages that have not kept pace with inflation since Macron assumed office in 2017.
Public sector salaries have increased by 5% since 2017, but inflation over the same period reached 24%, leaving workers struggling to make ends meet. The SNUipp-FSU teachers’ union reported that 40% of primary school educators participated in the strike, and nearly one-quarter of firefighters joined the action, according to government figures. Student protests saw over 300 schools disrupted, with some demonstrators setting fires and engaging in violent confrontations with riot police in cities including Lille and Lyon.
Law enforcement made 164 arrests on Monday and at least 40 more on Tuesday as clashes intensified. The unrest follows Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s announcement of €54 billion in planned budget reductions for 2027, which opponents argue will deepen financial hardship for public employees. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a left-wing politician backing the strikes, has pledged to reverse the budget cuts and eliminate government debt if elected president in next April’s election.
Macron’s approval rating has fallen below 18%, the lowest point recorded in an Ifop poll, as his administration faces growing backlash. The strikes represent an unusual alliance between public sector workers and students, both targeting the same economic policies. Though Macron is ineligible to seek re-election in April, his declining popularity may strengthen opposition parties, potentially reshaping the electoral environment.
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