France braces for nationwide strike and protests on 5 November with 70,000 police deployed

Unions and students call nationwide action

Unions including the left-leaning CGT, backed by student groups, have called a national interprofessional strike and nationwide protests for Thursday, 5 November 2026. Public-sector employees are being asked to walk out, and several hundred thousand demonstrators are expected to march through French cities. CGT leader Sophie Binet urged people to turn out in large numbers, speaking to LCI. The mobilisation follows weeks of protest over the cost of living, public services and education, which have produced the most serious civil unrest France has seen in recent years. It is also a new test for President Emmanuel Macron, five months before the presidential election that will choose his successor.

Background to the protests

Authorities have been trying to ease tensions since riots and looting on 17 October caught security forces off guard, leaving shops ransacked and public buildings damaged or destroyed across the country. Criticism has centred on how Macron has handled the crisis. Secondary school pupils have kept protesting for about three weeks, and on Monday, 2 November, they put up fresh barricades at the entrances to more than 100 schools, despite a call from the education minister not to. Tens of thousands of students marched that day in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Rennes. On Wednesday, 4 November, Macron convened a meeting on defence and security ahead of the protests. Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said after the cabinet meeting that the government was extremely vigilant and that a repeat of 17 October was out of the question. An official close to Macron said the goal for the coming weeks is to bring the situation back under control and start the presidential race as calmly as possible.

Police deployment and turnout estimates

About 70,000 police officers will be mobilised nationwide. Internal intelligence services estimate that between 500,000 and 700,000 people will take part in the demonstrations held outside Paris. These are pre-march estimates, so the final turnout may differ. The government has defended police tactics but said any possible abuse will be investigated. Among those expected on the streets are students and pupils, who say the state of their schools and uncertainty about their futures are their main concerns. A 19-year-old female student from Paris told Reuters that some people are staying away out of fear, and that many are afraid of police violence.

Low estimate500,000

High estimate700,000

Low estimate

500000 people

High estimate

700000 people

Data from the article text

Strike impact and travel advice

The education ministry estimates that 17.5% of primary public school teachers will join the strike. Unions have warned that rail and public transport services are likely to be disrupted. Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel alert for Romanian citizens in France ahead of 5 November, advising them to avoid protest areas, follow local authorities and plan journeys early. The ministry flagged possible disruption to public and rail transport, air travel and airport services, education, public administration, hospitals and medical services, and road traffic. Travellers are pointed to the SNCF Connect app for rail, the Bonjour RATP app for Paris transit, and airport websites for flight changes. Romanians who need consular help can call the Consulate General in Paris, and emergency lines are listed for Marseille, Lyon and Strasbourg.