After Mass Strike, French Workers Union Threatens New Action If Demands Ignored

UNSPLASH/Oscar Brouchot ILLUSTRATION

French unions issued an ultimatum and threatened new Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu with a new strike the day after mass demonstrations opposed controversial budget proposals.

"The decision is now in the hands of the Prime Minister. If he does not respond to the demands of the workers by September 24, the unions will meet to immediately decide the day of the next strike and demonstration," said a joint statement issued by the CGT union reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, September 19.

Welcoming the "successful" of the protests on September 18, unions underlined it "not enough."

They demand full withdrawal of all budget projects, fiscal justice, adequate budget resources for public services, high-level social protection, and termination of plans to increase the valid retirement age to 64 years.

The union also demands social and environmental requirements for public aid of around Rp4,111,8 trillion for private companies, in addition to investment in a fair ecological transition, French reindustrialization, and measures to prevent layoffs.

"The success of the September 18 protest action puts workers in a strong position. The unions have agreed to meet regularly to take all necessary initiatives to suppress the world of work in budget discussions and ultimately achieve social justice," the statement continued.

Unions claimed more than 1 million people participated in national protests on Thursday, while the Ministry of Home Affairs estimated the number to be around 500,000 people.

Authorities reported 309 people arrested, including 134 detained, while 26 members of the security forces were injured.

As organized by the French major trade union, the protest was carried out in response to a controversial budget proposal submitted by former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou.

The September 18 action follows a "block Everything" dialogue last week, which attracted nearly 197,000 people across the country to take part.

France is facing growing political tensions after Bayrou lost confidence in the National Assembly on September 8.

Bayrou, who revealed the budget framework for 2026 in July, sought to gain support for a savings plan of nearly 4 billion (approximately IDR 848.9 trillion) as part of efforts to reduce France's soaring public debt, which now reaches 113 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the new prime minister. He was given the mandate to hold consultations with political parties before forming his cabinet.

France is one of the European Union countries with the largest budget deficit, which is 5.8 percent of GDP.

Budget negotiations have become a major source of tension in French politics.

The failure to reach an agreement over the 2025 fiscal year ago also led to the collapse of the Michel Barnier government in December, after extreme left and right parties united to support no-confidence motion.