Strikes sweep France as protests mount against austerity plan

PARIS - Strikes erupted across France on Thursday as tens of thousands of protesters rallied against the government's austerity package introduced in July.

Official figures show that more than 500,000 people took to the streets nationwide, including around 55,000 in Paris.

Workers from key sectors, including transport, education, energy, healthcare, and public services, joined the walkouts in response to union calls for a fairer budget. Demonstrations in major cities such as Paris, Lyon, and Rennes occasionally turned violent.

The Interior Ministry reported over 300 arrests linked to the unrest.

In a posting on social media platform X Thursday evening, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised that the concerns raised by unions and protesters would be central to his ongoing talks with social partners. He also condemned the violence that marred parts of the marches.

The austerity plan at the heart of the dispute was unveiled in July by then-Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. Designed to reduce public debt, it included scrapping two public holidays and cutting health insurance spending. The proposal met fierce resistance in parliament and among the public.

Bayrou resigned on Sept 9 after losing a confidence vote in the National Assembly over his fiscal policy. Lecornu, then defense minister, was appointed prime minister the next day.

On Sept 10, a separate grassroots movement known as "Block Everything" staged protests in several cities outside union leadership, drawing around 175,000 participants, according to government figures.

In a Sept 13 interview with French media, Lecornu pledged to abandon the plan to cancel two public holidays and promised broad dialogue on a revised fiscal strategy.