Large-scale Protests in France on September 18: Official Estimates Place Participant Count at Over 500,000, CGT Claims Over a Million Demonstrators
Headline: CGT Leads Nationwide Strikes and Demonstrations Over Pharmacy Discounts and Climate Change
The country has witnessed a series of significant events over the past few days, as trade unions, led by the Confederation générale du travail (CGT), have taken to the streets in protest against government policies.
Sophie Binet, the CGT leader, has issued an ultimatum to the Prime Minister, demanding a swift response. If the response is not forthcoming, Binet has warned that there will be new demonstrations. The CGT's discontent stems from the reduction of commercial discounts on generic drugs, a move that has caused widespread unrest among pharmacists.
Pharmacists across the nation have mobilized to denounce this reduction, leading to a staggering 18,000 pharmacies out of 20,000 remaining closed. The situation is set to escalate further, as a meeting is scheduled for 8:00 am at the CGT headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Fridays for Future movement, a global youth-led movement advocating for action against climate change, held a meeting on Friday, September 12, 2025, during climate strikes called across cities in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany. The movement is yet to announce its further course of action.
The protests in France have not been without incident. According to reports, 700 actions were taken on public roads, and 29 fires were started. The unrest has resulted in the arrest of 390 people during the marches. Additionally, eleven members of the security forces and eleven other people, including a France Televisions journalist, were injured.
Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Labour, has committed to continuing the dialogue with all social partners and has promised to receive the trade union forces again in the coming days. However, the future of the movement remains uncertain, with the eight trade union organizations set to decide on Friday the fate of the ongoing protests.
In another significant development, nearly one in six teachers participated in strikes in primary and secondary schools, adding to the disruption caused by the protests.
The situation in France continues to evolve, with the CGT's ultimatum and the Fridays for Future movement's decision on their future course of action set to shape the direction of the protests. The government, meanwhile, remains under pressure to respond swiftly and effectively to the concerns raised by the trade unions and the youth.
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