French students and public workers protest planned budget cuts ahead of 2027 budget

French students and public sector workers staged protests across France on Tuesday over planned budget cuts, with schools blocked and strikes reported in several cities. The demonstrations came just two days before the government is due to unveil its draft 2027 budget and seven months before the next presidential election. Officials said the unrest affected more than 330 high schools, while clashes with police were reported in Paris, Lille, Nantes, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon.

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The Ministry of National Education said more than 330 high schools, or just under one in 10, were affected by the action. Police arrested about 40 people and 10 others were injured, including students and staff, according to the figures provided. In some locations, protesters set bins on fire, threw bottles and paving stones, and damaged bus shelters and advertising billboards.

Police responded with tear gas as tensions rose outside schools and in surrounding streets. The strike also drew in public sector workers, including firefighters who said this summer's wildfires had exposed gaps in resources. The Education Ministry said about 11% of teachers and school staff joined the strike, while participation among other civil servants was below 10%.

Fewer hospital staff stopped work, with the loss of a day's pay cited as one factor limiting turnout. Civil aviation authorities also warned of possible disruption at some airports. The protests reflect wider dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron's government at a politically sensitive moment.

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The planned cuts are part of a savings push that union leaders say would freeze state employees' base pay for a fourth consecutive year. CGT union leader Sophie Binet gave the government 48 hours to withdraw the cuts, describing the package as part of a broader effort to save 2 billion euros within a wider 54-billion-euro budget adjustment. The timing, ahead of the budget presentation, gives the dispute added significance because it could shape the political debate before next year's vote.

Student anger has been building in recent days over overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages, issues that have added to pressure on the education system. In one school in the Paris suburbs, teachers formed a line around protesting students to protect them from police. In Lille, masked pupils gathered outside the Lycée César Baggio and set bins on fire, while in Nantes teens piled up bins to block access to the Lycée Gabriel Guist'hau.

Similar standoffs were reported at the Arago school in Paris and in other major cities. What remains unclear is how many more schools or public services may be affected if the protests continue. It is also not yet clear whether the government will alter its budget plans before the draft is unveiled.

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