France is bracing for a nationwide strike and a wave of demonstrations on Thursday, November 5, with authorities estimating that between 500,000 and 700,000 people will protest across the country. More than 220 demonstrations are expected, with trade unions calling for strikes among rail employees, public hospital workers, postal services, air traffic control, and teachers. In response to the anticipated unrest, authorities have deployed some 70,000 police and security officers.
The protests are centered on the rising cost of living and demands for higher wages, extending more than a month of unrest. Trade unions have also joined forces to support a high school protest movement focusing on poor teaching conditions. This follows a period of escalation in mid-October, when over half a million people marched in demonstrations that were disrupted by looting and violence.
These events serve as a fresh test for President Emmanuel Macron in the five months leading up to a presidential election. His final months in office continue to be marred by domestic crises as the government struggles to pass a belt-tightening budget in a divided parliament. With public debt approaching 120% of economic output, parliamentary talks remain deadlocked following the rejection of the first part of the 2027 budget bill.