France’s CGT union said on Thursday that more than a million people were taking part in protests across the country, according to a report by broadcaster BFM TV.
While the CGT said more than a million protesters were taking part across France, at least 140 people have been arrested so far, 21 of them in Paris.
The Interior Ministry said 75 people had been detained, 16 of them in Paris, and eight police officers were slightly injured.
The ongoing strikes and protests are affecting multiple sectors, including the pharmaceutical industry and education, with the Federation of French Pharmaceutical Unions (FSPF) reporting that 20,000 pharmacists are “on the streets,” while the Student Union union claims that 110,000 high school and college students have been mobilized.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry said 282,500 protesters are marching in regions outside Paris.
After the Paris march began peacefully, tensions flared near Boulevard Voltaire, where police reported an “attempted damage to business premises.” In the area, officers were pelted with stones and bottles, prompting them to fire tear gas and arrest participants.
Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters that the blockades “were less intense than expected in the first part of the day.”
The mobilization, organized by France’s main unions, came in response to controversial budget proposals presented by former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou.
Retailleau said on Wednesday that he expected “very, very strong” mobilization in several sectors, including public services, education, transport, agriculture, industry and entertainment.
To secure the protests, the Interior Ministry announced that it would deploy more than 80,000 police and gendarmes across the country, along with armored vehicles, drones and water cannons.
In a move not seen since the “yellow vest” protests, 24 Centaure armored vehicles have been deployed across France, along with about 10 water cannons.
Some 40 union marches are planned across the country, with preliminary estimates suggesting up to 800,000 protesters will take part.
The September 18 action follows last week’s “Block All” mobilization, which drew nearly 197,000 people nationwide.
France has been facing growing political tensions since Bayrou lost a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly on September 8.
Bayrou, who presented the 2026 budget framework in July, has sought support for a savings plan of nearly 44 billion euros ($51 billion) as part of efforts to reduce France’s soaring public debt, which now stands at 113 percent of GDP.
French President Emmanuel Macron has named Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the country’s new prime minister. He is tasked with holding consultations with political parties before forming a government.
France has one of the largest budget deficits in the EU, at 5.8 percent of GDP.
Budget negotiations have been a major source of tension in French politics.
The failure to reach an agreement on the 2025 budget last year also led to the fall of Michel Barnier’s government in December after left-wing and far-right parties united behind a no-confidence motion, AA writes.
