Tens of thousands of trade union members took part in nationwide strikes and demonstrations across France on Thursday, 5 November 2026, demanding higher wages and supporting the high-school protest movement, adding fresh pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
About 260 rallies were planned across the country, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. Major rallies took place in Paris, Lyon and Marseille.
About a third of France’s high schools were closed or unable to operate. Some were affected by student blockades, while others were affected because teachers were on strike.
Public transport was heavily disrupted, and the Eiffel Tower was closed. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 70,000 police officers were being deployed, backed by armoured vehicles, drones and helicopters.
France’s main unions warned that the country is on the brink of recession and that layoff plans are multiplying. In a joint statement, they said: “Fuel, food products, rent, gas, electricity … everything’s going up except wages and pensions.”
The movement began in September with a protest over staff shortages at a high school south-east of Paris and spread nationwide.
The rallies come as the campaign to succeed Macron as president next May heats up. Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
Fabien Villedieu, national secretary of the SUD-Rail union, speaking to the Associated Press at Paris Gare de Lyon station, said: “When the government is not reasonable, when the head of the SNCF is not reasonable — bosses in general are not reasonable — and when they’re not reasonable, we simply do what we’ve always done in France, which is to go on strike.”
Source: Associated Press. Read the original report here.
Note: The featured image is an illustrative stock photo, not a photo of this event.
