France erupts in nationwide strikes as budget crisis deepens 40 blockades, 30 arrests

France was gripped by widespread strikes and protests on September 18 as major trade unions launched a coordinated day of national mobilization in response to a controversial budget plan. The demonstrations, which began in the early hours, have already resulted in 30 arrests.

Authorities reported 40 blockades across the country as of September 18 morning, with significant disruptions occurring in Paris and several other regions. Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated that there had been "attempted blockades" in the capital and a "sabotage attempt against a water network" in the overseas territory of Martinique, Caliber.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Demonstrations are underway in key cities and departments including Var, Caen, Finistère, and Toulon, with participation expected to escalate throughout the day. The education sector has also joined the protest movement, with students blocking a high school in Paris and 33% of primary school teachers walking off the job.

Organized by France’s largest trade union federations, the mobilization is a direct response to fiscal reforms introduced by former Prime Minister François Bayrou. The controversial budget framework, announced in July, proposed austerity measures aimed at reducing France’s public debt, which has now reached 113% of GDP.

Speaking to the press on September 17, Interior Minister Retailleau warned that authorities were anticipating a “very, very strong” mobilization, impacting sectors such as public services, education, transport, agriculture, industry, and entertainment.

To maintain public order, the Ministry of the Interior is deploying more than 80,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide. The security operation will include armored vehicles, drones, and water cannons — a level of preparedness not seen since the height of the Yellow Vest movement. Specifically, 24 Centaure armored vehicles and ten water-launching units will be deployed to manage crowd control.

An estimated 40 union-led marches are expected to take place across France, with preliminary forecasts suggesting participation could reach up to 800,000 demonstrators.

September 18 protests follow last week’s “Block Everything” campaign, which mobilized nearly 197,000 people nationwide, signaling growing unrest over economic policy and public spending.

The unrest comes amid escalating political tensions following the collapse of François Bayrou’s government, which lost a confidence vote in the National Assembly on September 8. Bayrou’s proposed 2026 budget aimed to cut nearly €44 billion ($51 billion) in public spending as part of a broader effort to rein in France’s ballooning deficit — one of the highest in the European Union, currently at 5.8% of GDP.

Following Bayrou’s ouster, President Emmanuel Macron appointed Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu as the new Prime Minister. Lecornu has been tasked with leading consultations across political lines to form a new government and navigate the country out of its deepening fiscal and political crisis.

The ongoing discord over budget negotiations has emerged as a central fault line in French politics. The failure to pass a 2025 budget last year similarly led to the downfall of Michel Barnier’s government, after a rare coalition of left-wing and far-right lawmakers succeeded in passing a no-confidence motion in December.

By Vafa Guliyeva