France paralyzed by strikes: schools, trains, and hospitals under pressure

Teachers, train drivers, pharmacists, and nurses went on strike in France on Thursday to protest planned budget cuts.

Meanwhile, dissatisfied students blocked the entrances to schools. The unions are demanding that the former government's fiscal plans be withdrawn, more money for public services, higher taxes for the wealthy, and the reversal of the reform that raised the retirement age.

In Paris, several metro lines were disrupted and only ran during rush hour. In front of the Lycée Maurice Ravel, students unfurled a banner reading “Block your schools against cuts,” which was joined by teachers and union members.

According to estimates, up to 800,000 people took part in the protests. The unions condemned the budget plans as “brutal” and “unfair.”

The French budget deficit has exceeded twice the EU ceiling of three percent, and the new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is under pressure from parliament and investors.

The strikes affected schools, railways, and highways, with police deploying 80,000 officers. More than twenty people were arrested in the morning, and authorities are preparing for possible unrest.

(reuters, red)