Student protests and French public sector strike heap pressure on Macron
PARIS, Sept 29 - French civil servants went on strike on Tuesday and high school students blocked the entrances to schools in a show of discontent with planned budget cuts ahead of next year's presidential election.
Seven months before the election, and just two days before the government unveils its 2027 budget draft, opinion polls consistently show the deep unpopularity of France's centre-right government and of President Emmanuel Macron.
There were no official figures yet on how many teachers and other civil servants were on strike. Limited disruption was reported on public transport in the morning. Healthcare workers were expected to join 170 rallies across the country later.
The student protests have been gaining momentum over the past days.
TV images showed garbage containers on fire outside a high school in Lille on Tuesday. Newspaper Le Progres reported clashes between police and pupils outside a school in Lyon. There were also tensions outside schools in Nice.
Up to 1 in 10 high school entrances were blockaded in Paris, according to French media.
A placard reading "Macron explosion" was displayed in front of the entrance of the Arago school in Paris, where students, some with their faces covered, sat and stood on dumpsters to block the entrance. A large banner in front of the Helene-Boucher school said "Fewer cops, More money".
"We want fewer police because we think there is a huge amount of police repression, both against high school student movements and social movements more generally," said Mael Breton, a final-year student at the Helene-Boucher school.
"We believe this is a real problem, especially when there is such a lack of funding ... here at our school and in the national education system more broadly."
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned protests at high schools on Monday as irresponsible, saying on X: "Fireworks, fires, violence near high schools: Nothing justifies endangering students, staff, or police officers."
However, he acknowledged that the "difficulties of high schools must be heard and addressed".
France's economy will grow less than expected this year, which will complicate the minority government's task of getting its 2027 budget passed, as it seeks to put a lid on spending and stop the fiscal deficit spiralling out of control.
Lecornu said this month the government planned a €54 billion savings drive - potentially further inflaming workers in several sectors who have protested over the past weeks over issues including pay and fuel prices.
Teachers, firefighters and other civil servants are demanding better working conditions and asking for salary increases. French teachers are paid less on average than colleagues in other European countries.
Professional firefighters, whose lack of resources was laid bare during this summer's huge wildfires, were among those set to take part in protest marches during the day.
The French civilian aviation regulator warned of disruption to flights at some airports.
The government has already unveiled measures to help households cope with a spike in energy prices driven by the war with Iran, but it has failed to quell the discontent with Macron and his government.
Far-right National Rally chief Marine Le Pen and hard-left France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon are likely to qualify for next year's presidential election runoff, with Le Pen seen best placed to win, the surveys show.
High school students could join the healthcare workers' rallies, CGT union leader Sophie Binet said.
"This summer, who was on the front line? It wasn't the billionaires, the big bosses or the shareholders. It was civil servants and working people. And how are they being thanked? By cutting their pay? So the anger is enormous," she told BFMTV. REUTERS
