Hundreds of thousands of workers have taken part in strike action across France on Thursday, after trade unions called for a day of protests against budget cuts.
Organisers said one million people turned out, while the interior ministry put that number at 500,000, with 80,000 police officers deployed.
Scuffles were reported in Lyon and Nantes, while in Paris, small clashes broke out between police and protesters, leading officers in riot gear to use tear gas to disperse crowds after some protesters vandalised property in the area.
The strikes come just a week after new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was appointed, following a government shake-up. Public transport suffered severe disruptions as many metro lines were shut down and protests blocked major roads across the country.
Students gathered outside educational institutions, blocking entrances and chanting slogans, while around a third of schoolteachers participated in the strike. Pharmacies also joined in, with an estimated 98% staying closed.
Overall, more than 300 individuals were detained amid the unrest, as unions emphasized the need for increased funding for public services and the reversal of budget cuts proposed by the previous government.
Cyrielle, an IT worker, expressed her dissatisfaction with both Macron's and Bayrou's policies, calling for better funding for public services and a reassessment of wealth taxation. Sophie Binet of the General Confederation of Labour reinforced the necessity of such demonstrations to challenge government policies favoring the wealthy.
Despite a call for discipline from strike leaders, tensions remained high with warnings from government officials that any violent incidents would lead to immediate police action. As public sentiment shifts against austerity measures, the future of France's economic policy remains uncertain amid the ongoing protests.
