Protesters
to join nationwide march as France braces for day of strike action
Hospital
workers, air traffic and rail staff expected to join strikes amid renewed
protests over education and rising living costs
Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
Thu 5 Nov
2026 05.00 GMT
Hundreds
of thousands are expected to march in demonstrations across France as trade unions call
for a nationwide strike expected to extend to hospital workers, air traffic
control, the post office, teachers and rail staff.
President
Emmanuel Macron’s final months in office continue to be marred by domestic
crises, as high school students protesting over
poor teaching conditions have been joined by workers in weekly
protests over the cost of living. Meanwhile, the government is struggling
to pass a belt-tightening budget in a divided parliament as public debt
approaches 120% of economic output.
Ahead of
Thursday’s strike action, France’s four main rail unions said that the
government’s proposed budget cuts would “worsen poverty, slash social security,
freeze state workers’ salaries and dry up investment needed for environmental
measures”.
Amid the
renewed protests centred on living costs, public spending cuts and the troubled
education system, the far-right, anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen is
polling high for the 2027 presidential election to replace Macron next spring.
High
school students continued to blockade schools over overcrowded classes and
dilapidated buildings, saying the government’s
proposed measures on capping some class sizes and loaning funds to regional
authorities to fix schools were not enough. University students joined in
blockading some faculties. Trade unions from across the political landscape
joined in a call for strikes over the rising cost of living, with private
schools’ teachers unions also joining strikes alongside state school teachers.
French
soldiers patrol a street in Paris on the eve of the strikes. Rights’ groups
objected to the ‘authoritarian’ attempt by Macron’s executive to clamp down on
the right to demonstrate. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
Rights’
groups protested over what they said was heavy policing and an “authoritarian”
attempt by Macron’s executive to clamp down on the right to demonstrate.
The
French Human Rights League said there was an “authoritarian shift” to stifle
“any dissenting voice” as the government put in place heavy policing and
authorities issued restrictions on demonstrating in city centres, as well as
curfews in certain areas.
Sophie
Binet, the head of the leftwing CGT union, said: “We’re living at a very
serious time with a very dangerous authoritarian drift from the government”,
criticising decisions by authorities in cities such as Rennes, Toulouse and
Lyon to push demonstrations out of city centres.
Marylise
Léon, the head of the moderate CFDT trade union, said: “The principle of a
demonstration is its visibility.”
The
national rail operator SNCF said there would be “disturbances” to train
services on regional lines and some parts of the greater Paris area. Dockers
said there would be disruption in French ports. The education ministry said it
expected almost 18% of nursery and primary school teachers to strike. Trade
unions said they also expected secondary teachers to take part in Thursday’s
strike.
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