France Witnesses Political Unrest: Mass Protests Against Saving Plans
France is facing a wave of protests against potential austerity measures, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets across the country. The latest budget deficit in France stands at 5.8 percent, leading to the EU opening a deficit procedure against France as early as July 2024.
The French government, under the leadership of the new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, has been under pressure to implement austerity measures to reduce the country's debt, which currently stands at 114 percent of its GDP, the third-highest in the EU and the highest in the Eurozone.
The proposed abolition of two public holidays was particularly criticised, with many people participating in the protests. Authorities had previously estimated about 700,000 to 800,000 participants, but the CGT union claimed over a million demonstrators.
The protests have caused disruptions in various sectors of French society, with many people stopping work. Pharmacies have closed, teachers have been absent from schools, and there have been disruptions and delays in buses and trains. There were blockades in various parts of the country, particularly in the morning, affecting bus depots, transport hubs, and further education schools.
The strike in France is a broad coalition of trade unions, who have criticised the austerity plans of the previous government as harsh. Little is known yet about where the new head of government, Sébastien Lecornu, plans to cut in the new austerity budget.
However, there was some good news for the protesters as Sébastien Lecornu announced that he will not implement the plan to abolish two public holidays. Around 500,000 people participated in nationwide demonstrations by early evening, according to the interior ministry. Over 180 people were arrested nationwide, around 30 of them in Paris, and dozens of protesters briefly entered the courtyard of the Ministry of Economy.
The protests are putting pressure on the new Prime Minister of France, with many questioning his commitment to reducing the country's debt without causing undue hardship to the French people. The situation is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how the French government will navigate the challenges ahead.
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