France braces for nationwide strike and mass protests over living costs and budget cuts

France is facing a nationwide day of strike action and demonstrations, with hundreds of thousands expected to march across the country. Trade unions have called for workers in rail, air traffic control, hospitals, the post office and schools to join the action. The protests are centred on education conditions, the rising cost of living and proposed budget cuts.

The strike is expected to affect several key public services, with France's four main rail unions among those backing the action. In a statement ahead of Thursday's mobilisation, the rail unions said the government's proposed cuts would worsen poverty, reduce social security, freeze public sector pay and limit investment needed for environmental measures. High school students have also been blockading schools over overcrowded classes and poor buildings, while university students have joined some of the protests.

The unrest comes as President Emmanuel Macron's final months in office are marked by repeated domestic disputes. The government is trying to pass a spending-tightening budget in a divided parliament, while public debt is approaching 120% of economic output. Teachers from both state and private schools are taking part in the strike call, adding to the scale of the disruption and underlining the breadth of opposition to the planned measures.

The protests also reflect wider concern over public services and social conditions in France. Workers and students have been demonstrating weekly over living costs and education, and rights groups have criticised what they describe as heavy policing and restrictions on the right to protest. The French Human Rights League has said there is an authoritarian shift aimed at silencing dissent, while authorities have imposed limits on demonstrations in city centres and curfews in some areas.

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The political backdrop is also significant because the unrest is unfolding ahead of the 2027 presidential election, in which Marine Le Pen is polling strongly as a possible successor to Macron. That gives the strike added weight as a test of public anger over austerity, social spending and the state of schools. It also highlights the pressure on the government as it tries to balance budget discipline with demands for investment in public services.

What remains unclear is how widely the strike will spread through the transport network and how much disruption it will cause in hospitals, schools and other public services. It is also not yet clear whether the demonstrations will remain peaceful or lead to further restrictions by the authorities. The scale of participation and the government's response will be the main indicators to watch as the day develops.

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