Strikes sweep France as PM faces budget showdown

Strikes and demonstrations once again swept across France on Thursday, with unions warning they will not accept austerity measures aimed at tackling the country's mounting debt.

New Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, appointed in September, has yet to form his government or present a 2026 budget plan. He faces the uphill task of steering cuts through a divided parliament by mid October.

Public frustration is rising, with many skeptical about what the Prime Minister will deliver.

Sophie, a nurse and secretary of the CGT union, told CGTN: "I have absolutely no confidence in what he might propose for the future. We already have a date set for next week, October 9, for a large national rally at the Ministry of Health, precisely to fight against austerity measures."

Government sources insist no final decisions have been made on the budget. But they acknowledge cuts are unavoidable, with France's debt hovering at nearly double the EU's 3 percent of GDP limit.

Some protesters, like Renard, a rail ticket inspector, believe tax reform, not austerity, should be the priority. "I think it is too short to say 'tax the rich,' it is 'tax the rich as you tax all the population, not more, not less. Just the equality on the taxes, it is in the French constitution, it is written but it's not the case."

Authorities deployed thousands of officers nationwide to monitor Thursday's protests, with 5,000 in Paris alone. Surveillance drones flew over large gatherings as the government warned that violence and disruption would not be tolerated.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau spoke to the media, saying, "We will see what happens with the demonstrations. We have mobilized slightly fewer forces, but even so, there will be 76,000 police officers and gendarmes, with around 5,000 in the Paris area."

On Friday, Lecornu is scheduled to meet opposition parties in a bid to secure backing for his budget. He may also reveal his long-awaited ministerial line-up in the coming days.