French budget cut strikes turn violent as protesters and police clash in Paris

Large-scale protests in the French capital Paris turned ugly on Thursday afternoon, after a few dozen individuals clad in black attacked the police officers on site, who responded with teargas.

Small pockets of demonstrators out of a crowd of tens of thousands in Paris' 11th arrondissement around Boulevard Voltaire — a major Parisian thoroughfare — lobbed projectiles at law enforcement securing the gathering, accidentally striking other protesters and journalists, as witnessed by Euronews.

The police pushed back and charged the assailants several times, deploying teargas in an attempt to contain the unfolding situation.

The clashes further escalated by the time the line of protesters reached Place de la Nation, the landmark circle in the eastern part of Paris, where a group of demonstrators encircled the police, hurling numerous objects including rocks and bottles, and shouting "Get out" and "ACAB".

The law enforcement has since deployed stun grenades. It is unclear whether anyone was injured in the skirmish at this time.

Disputed numbers

The national trade union CGT said that more that 1 million people had participated in protests across France, but the Interior Ministry set that number significantly lower, saying only 500,000 had marched.

The Paris prefecture reported early on Thursday evening that 50,000 people had taken part in the pan-union demonstration in the capital.

In a statement released at 6 pm local time, the Interior Ministry said it had recorded 181 arrests across the country, including 31 in Paris. The ministry also said that 11 police officers had been slightly injured during the day.

Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said 309 arrests had been made across the country and 134 people remain in police custody.

Earlier in the day, the country-wide protests were largely peaceful, as hundreds of thousands of people joined strikes and demonstrations against the government’s new austerity measures.

Eight major trade unions had called on citizens to take to the streets around the country against what they describe as “brutal” budget plans announced over the summer.

The collapse of François Bayrou’s government last week has not deterred union leaders, who maintain their call for mobilisation.

Authorities braced for one of the largest demonstrations since the pension reform protests two years ago.

"Right now, we have a government that doesn't listen to us and is even the opposite of what the population needs," Alexandre, one of the protesters, told Euronews in the French capital.

"A government that robs fellow citizens and it's important for everyone to mobilise, for the people of France who want to be dignified and who also want to give others their dignity throughout the world," he added.

"We're in a situation of injustice. Workers can no longer feed themselves, students no longer have future prospects."

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said in a press release that he will meet with representatives of trade unions again "in the coming days."

Lecornu said that the protesters' "demands are at the heart of the consultations" already under way between unions and other political parties.

Travel in and around the French capital is already severely affected. Paris Metro and commuter trains run at reduced capacity, while regional services across the Paris region are heavily disrupted.

The national rail company SNCF says nine out of 10 high-speed TGV trains remain in service, but local TER lines are only operating at around 60%.

In schools, the walkout is widespread. A third of primary school teachers are on strike, according to unions. In secondary schools, nearly half of the staff are staying away from classrooms.

The Snes-FSU union, representing middle schools and high schools, reported a 45% participation, denouncing poor working conditions, low pay and the “undermining of public education.”

On the Caribbean island of Martinique, a French overseas territory, 150,000 residents were temporarily left without water after valves were deliberately closed on a main distribution site, in what authorities describe as an act of sabotage.

The supply has since been restored, but a second attempted shutdown is reported on the same site.

Thousands of law enforcement officers deployed

Security forces are deployed in exceptional numbers. Around 80,000 police and gendarmes are mobilised across France, with a heavy presence in Paris.

Police chief Laurent Nuñez warned that hundreds or even thousands of violent far-left groups are preparing to infiltrate the union protests. He urged shopkeepers along the protest route to close their businesses and protect their storefronts.

Although newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu quickly scrapped one of the most unpopular proposals — eliminating two public holidays — he has not ruled out the rest.

These include an overhaul of unemployment benefits, delinking pensions from inflation, and raising out-of-pocket medical costs.

At the heart of the showdown are France's fragile public finances. Last year's deficit reached 5.8% of GDP, nearly double the EU ceiling of 3%, while national debt now stands at more than €3.3 trillion, roughly 114% of economic output.

Bayrou had argued that drastic cuts are unavoidable, putting forward a plan to slash €44 billion in spending by 2026.