Mass protest erupts in Paris over government budget policy

Thousands of demonstrators marched through Paris on December 2 to protest the French government’s proposed budget measures, responding to a call from the country’s leading trade union, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), along with other unions.

The protest was centered at Place de la Bourse in the historic 2nd arrondissement, where participants voiced their opposition to government austerity policies, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Demonstrators carried placards and chanted slogans including: “Strike for our pensions,” “Equality for our workers and pensioners,” “Against austerity measures,” and “For social and fiscal justice.”

The demonstration was attended by Sophie Binet, General Secretary of the CGT, underscoring the union’s central role in organizing the protest.

The 2026 budget proposal is currently under review in the National Assembly. According to the plan, the government aims to cut spending across most sectors, while defence expenditure is set to rise by €6.7 billion. France’s budget deficit stood at 5.4% of GDP in 2025, undermining creditor confidence and prompting authorities to target a reduction to below 5% in 2026 and below 3% by 2029.

The government’s austerity measures include reductions in social benefits, higher co-payments for state health insurance, and a freeze on pension indexation in 2026, measures which have drawn widespread criticism from unions and civil society.

By Vafa Guliyeva