French Unions Call for Nationwide Strikes as Political Crisis Escalates
Trade unions in France have announced a nationwide strike set for 18 September, amid a deepening political crisis that could lead to the resignation of Prime Minister François Bayrou after a critical confidence vote on 8 September. Reports 24brussels.
The planned strikes follow Bayrou’s unexpected decision to initiate the vote, resulting from months of stalemate regarding government strategies to address France’s growing public debt.
The inter-union coalition has characterized the planned protests as a “major day of strikes and protests,” driven by dissatisfaction with the prime minister’s proposed budget cuts.
“The horror show that is the draft budget must be abandoned,” declared CFDT union leader Marylise Leon after a union meeting on Friday.
“The various budgetary measures put forward are unprecedented in their brutality,” she stated, emphasizing the severity of the proposed cuts.
Sophie Binet, head of the CGT union, highlighted the necessity of protests to compel the government to address “social demands.” Binet asserted, “We want tax justice, we want money for our public services, which can no longer cope. We want wage increases, we want the pension reform to be repealed.”
Additionally, a separate anti-government initiative dubbed Bloquons tout (Let’s Block Everything) has rallied support for a nationwide halt on 10 September, endorsed by leftist factions.
The CGT has expressed its intention to aid this initiative by mobilizing strikes, according to Binet.
France faces significant pressure to rein in its public deficit and address its extensive debt, in accordance with EU regulations, following years of fiscal overspending.
At 74, Bayrou aims to achieve savings of around €44 billion; however, his proposals—including the elimination of two public holidays and a spending freeze—have provoked widespread anger across the nation.
The failure of Bayrou to secure the confidence vote on 8 September would necessitate his resignation along with the entirety of his government.
President Emmanuel Macron could choose to reappoint Bayrou, appoint a new prime minister—potentially the seventh since Macron took office in 2017—or even call for early elections to resolve the political impasse that has persisted for over a year.
