France found itself at a crossroads this week as tens of thousands of people poured into the streets across the country, protesting against sweeping public spending cuts proposed in next year’s budget. On Thursday, October 2, 2025, the nation’s major trade unions called for a massive strike, setting off a wave of demonstrations in more than 200 towns and cities. The protests, which saw the closure of the iconic Eiffel Tower, signaled the depth of public anger at President Emmanuel Macron’s government and its latest attempt to rein in the country’s ballooning deficit.
The numbers tell a story of their own. The French Interior Ministry reported that about 195,000 people joined the demonstrations nationwide, including 24,000 in Paris. However, the leftist CGT union put the figure much higher, claiming nearly 600,000 protesters. While these numbers were lower than those seen two weeks earlier—when unions said over a million people had marched—they still underscored the persistent discontent simmering across French society. According to France 24, the turnout in Paris was significant, with thousands of workers, retirees, and students marching from Place d'Italie, their banners and chants echoing through the capital’s boulevards.
The strikes didn’t just disrupt daily life—they brought some of France’s most famous landmarks to a halt. The Eiffel Tower, a symbol recognized around the world, was forced to close its doors to visitors. In a statement, the tower’s management informed tourists that the closure was due to the strike, a visible sign of the protest’s reach. High schools in several cities were also blocked by students, adding youthful voices to the chorus of dissent.
At the heart of the unrest lies a proposed austerity budget, which would slash 44 billion euros ($52 billion) from local government spending and health, and freeze government expenditure. The government’s aim is clear: to bring France’s budget deficit—which currently stands at 5.8% of GDP, nearly double the European Union’s 3% limit—under control. But the cost, say critics, will be borne by the country’s most vulnerable.
President Emmanuel Macron, now facing his worst-ever popularity levels with just 18 months left in office, has struggled to steer France out of a deepening political and economic crisis. His government, lacking a parliamentary majority, is caught in a web of opposition from both the left and the right. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Macron’s seventh since taking office, was appointed just last month amid this turmoil. According to AFP, Lecornu is now tasked with building bridges in a deeply divided parliament, a challenge that felled his predecessors François Bayrou and Michel Barnier, both ousted over budget battles.
Lecornu has promised a budget with more "fiscal fairness," but has ruled out reinstating a wealth tax—one of the unions’ central demands. In an interview with Le Parisien, he warned, "The IMF isn’t at the gates of Bercy. But pretending that we can let things slide without impact on our fellow citizens isn’t true either." He argued that France’s financial credibility, and ultimately its households, would be at risk if the deficit was not addressed. Yet, for many on the streets, these words rang hollow.
Union leaders have been unequivocal in their opposition. Sophie Binet, leader of the General Confederation of Labour, one of France’s largest unions, stated, "Waffle-talk or half-baked measures won’t solve this problem. We must respond to social demands and definitively bury all the sacrifices for the working world planned in the Bayrou copy." She added that "social anger is enormous" and warned the government not to underestimate the determination of workers. According to BBC, unions are demanding not only more funding for public services, but also a reversal of the recent retirement age hike from 62 to 64, and higher taxes on the wealthy to ensure what they call "fiscal justice."
The protests were not without tension. According to Al Jazeera, clashes broke out between demonstrators and police in several cities, with officers firing tear gas and making about 140 arrests nationwide. The government deployed a staggering 76,000 police officers, including 5,000 in Paris alone, to maintain order. Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the security operation as one of the largest in recent memory.
The political stakes are high. Macron is expected to unveil a new government this weekend, with Lecornu at the helm. According to sources cited by AFP, the new cabinet will be smaller, with around 20 to 25 ministers—down from 35 in Bayrou’s cabinet. Several key figures, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, are expected to retain their posts, while others, like scandal-plagued Culture Minister Rachida Dati, may be on their way out. The reshuffle is seen as an attempt to restore confidence and assert control amid the ongoing crisis.
Lecornu is also set to meet with leaders of the far-right National Rally (RN) and the Socialists in the coming days, hoping to secure enough support to pass the budget. The centre-left party, now a key swing group in parliament, has threatened to withhold its backing if the tough austerity measures persist. This political brinkmanship reflects the broader deadlock that has gripped France since Macron’s gamble on snap elections last summer backfired, leaving parliament fractured between three rival blocs.
For many observers, the current unrest is part of a longer story. France has struggled for years to rein in its mounting deficit and debt, with successive governments facing fierce public resistance to spending cuts. The pension reform, which pushed the retirement age from 62 to 64, remains a particularly sore point. Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon captured the mood at a rally in Paris, saying, "You can feel that the country is changing. We do not know what will happen. But we know that this turmoil is there. Which way will it erupt?"
As the protests continued into the evening, the sense of uncertainty was palpable. The government’s proposed austerity measures may be intended to stabilize France’s finances, but they have also reignited deep-seated tensions over inequality and social justice. With a new cabinet lineup imminent and political negotiations intensifying, the coming days will be crucial in determining whether Macron and Lecornu can navigate the storm—or whether France’s social anger will spill over into even greater unrest.
For now, the country waits, its streets echoing with the voices of those demanding to be heard, and its government searching for a path forward amid a landscape of division and discontent.
