Pharmacies shut down, students protest—France’s nationwide strike in full swing

Protests sweeping across France were “less intense than expected,” said outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who provided an update during a midday press briefing.

He pointed out 230 protest actions in public spaces, 95 attempted site blockades, and approximately 10,000 participants, resulting in 58 arrests nationwide, including 11 in Paris, Caliber.Az reports, citing French media.

Among the demonstrations, students protested budget cuts by blocking the entrance to Maurice Ravel school in Paris. Reports from the scene, noted that 23 out of 24 schools in the surrounding area were closed due to strikes.

A significant sector affected by the nationwide strike is French pharmacies, with roughly nine out of ten expected to close. Participation rates are forecast at 85-90%, though some pharmacies will remain open to provide essential services.

Unlike many other sectors, the pharmacists’ protest is not directly related to the 2026 budget but centers on government reductions to the rebate on generic medications, which constitute approximately one-third of pharmacy margins. The government’s rebate cap has already decreased from 40% to 30% and is set to drop further to 20% by 2027. Unions warn that this policy risks forcing thousands of pharmacy closures and job losses, jeopardizing access to vital medicines such as antibiotics, antidiabetic drugs, and anti-epileptics.

French trade unions have called for the nationwide strike and protests to oppose what they describe as "brutal" budget measures introduced over the summer—measures that the new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has so far refused to rule out.

Following a meeting with Lecornu on September 15, the hardline CGT union expressed renewed determination, despite the government’s announcement that it would drop a controversial plan to cut two public holidays. “He didn’t commit to anything. None of the disastrous policies from [former Prime Minister] François Bayrou’s tenure have been scrapped,” said union leader Sophie Binet.

Since assuming office, Lecornu promised “substantive changes” and has engaged in talks with most unions over the past week. Nevertheless, union leaders remain resolute in their call to mobilize, aiming to influence the direction of the forthcoming budget.

By Vafa Guliyeva