CaliToday (20/9/2025): Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Paris and across France on Thursday, September 18, in a massive show of force against President Emmanuel Macron's government, paralyzing public transport and sparking scattered clashes with police in a widespread display of social anger.
The nationwide day of unrest, marked by crippling strikes and fiery demonstrations, channeled a deep-seated frustration with eight years of Macron's pro-business leadership, which critics say has benefited the few at the expense of the many.
Aya Touré, a hospital nurse, captured the mood of many on the streets. "Fed up. We are really fed up," she said. "The people who manage us have no idea about the real problems. We are the ones paying the price."
The turmoil aims to intensify pressure on the newly appointed Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, and his boss, President Macron. They are currently locked in a fierce battle both in Parliament and on the streets over how to fix France's financial shortfalls, with opponents fiercely resisting proposed spending cuts to public services the bedrock of the French way of life.
Protesters' Fury Over Budget Cuts
Opponents complain that taxpayer-funded public services free public schools and hospitals, subsidized healthcare, unemployment benefits, and other cherished social safety nets are being eroded by Macron's government. This anger has been amplified since Macron's dissolution of Parliament in 2024 led to a legislative election that packed the lower house with his critics.
Left-wing parties and their supporters are demanding that the wealthy and corporations contribute more to reduce France's debt, rather than slashing public spending that they argue hits low- and middle-wage workers the hardest. "Tax the rich," read one sign at the Paris march.
"We need to find the money where it is," said Pierre Courois, a 65-year-old retired civil servant. "France's deficit is a problem, but it's not by cutting public services that you will solve it."
Many protesters lamented rising poverty and the daily struggle to make ends meet. "Our salaries are stuck, colleagues are leaving, and hospital departments are closing beds," said Stephane Lambert, a 34-year-old public hospital nurse. "For us, it's the same story: less money in our pockets, fewer people to help, more pressure every day."
At a pre-dawn protest at a Paris bus depot, striking transit worker Nadia Belhoum said people were being "squeezed like lemons that no longer have any juice."
Lecornu's Baptism by Fire
In a bid to win support for his budget tightening, Lecornu has made symbolic gestures, such as cutting lifelong allowances for former government ministers. However, his close ties to Macron have made him a target of criticism.
"Bringing in Lecornu changes nothing
he’s just another man in a suit who will follow Macron’s line," said Juliette Martin, a 22-year-old student.
The "Block Everything" campaign, which began with Lecornu's first day in office last week amid burning barricades and tear gas, set the stage for Thursday's even larger demonstrations. "For decades, we are the ones who have been paying for the rich... and they have emptied our pockets," said Jean Pierre Mercier, an auto factory union representative. "And today, in theory, we have to pay the debt, and once again only the workers are being asked to pay."
Scattered Violence and Mass Arrests
The day was punctuated by sporadic violence. Police in Paris used tear gas to disperse a pre-dawn blockade at a bus depot and again during the main afternoon march in the capital, where they deployed in massive numbers, backed by armored vehicles. French radio stations also reported clashes in the western cities of Nantes and Rennes and in Lyon, with tear gas and projectiles being thrown.
Striking rail workers wielding flares briefly stormed the headquarters of the Economy Ministry in Paris, leaving smoke in the air before retreating. "The bourgeoisie in this country has had its fill, they don’t even know what to do with their money anymore. So if there is really a crisis, the question is who should pay," said Fabien Villedieu, a leader of the SUD-Rail union.
By late afternoon, France’s Interior Ministry reported 181 arrests nationwide, with an estimated 450,000 protesters outside of Paris and another 55,000 in the capital. The CGT union, a key organizer, placed the number of strikers and protesters at over 1 million nationwide.
The Paris Metro operator reported that while rush-hour service was less disrupted than feared, traffic was brought to a near standstill outside of these hours, except for three automated, driverless lines. "Every time there are protests, daily life is held hostage," said office worker Nathalie Laurent, who struggled with her morning commute.
