French trade unions are uniting for nationwide strikes and demonstrations on Thursday, increasing pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government. The actions are focused on demands for higher wages and solidarity with a national high school protest movement.
Major rallies are anticipated in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille, with expectations of hundreds of thousands of participants. Transportation services are predicted to face significant disruption, and some schools may close as educators join the strike.
France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that 70,000 police officers will be deployed, supported by armored vehicles, drones, and helicopters. Recent police actions have drawn criticism for alleged heavy-handed tactics against protesters.
In a joint statement, leading French unions warned that the country is nearing a recession, with layoff plans increasing. "Fuel, food products, rent, gas, electricity... everything’s going up except wages and pensions," the unions declared. France is currently experiencing economic challenges, with performance lagging behind other European nations like Italy and Belgium.
The unions have issued a warning to both the government and employers, stating, "Anger is immense. The situation in this country is fragile. The pressing social and environmental challenges must be addressed without delay."
Prior to this strike action, the government had engaged in negotiations with unions, a common occurrence in French politics, aiming to mitigate recent rioting that marked France's most severe civil unrest in years. The current movement originated from a protest over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris in September and has since expanded nationwide. It has attracted both students advocating for increased education funding and workers seeking relief from escalating costs for fuel and other necessities.