Over 300,000 French civil servants and students strike over wages and budget cuts

Nationwide mobilization across French cities

Civil service unions organized a national day of action across France on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, protesting against declining purchasing power and demanding higher pay and resources. The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) estimated that over 300,000 demonstrators participated nationwide, with 70,000 marching through Paris. In Marseille, union organizers reported 30,000 participants, while local police counted 3,800.

Other regional turnouts reported by the CGT included 11,000 protesters in Toulouse, 10,000 in Lille, 10,000 in Bordeaux, 8,000 in Lyon, and 8,000 in Orléans. Smaller cities also recorded rallies, including between 2,000 and 3,000 people at Place de la République in Le Mans, over 1,200 in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, at least 1,000 in Niort, and over 650 in Saint-Lô. Union officials scheduled the protests to pressure the government before the presentation of the 2027 state budget bill.

Firefighters protest equipment shortages and budget limits

Professional firefighters joined the demonstrations in large numbers, gathering at Place de la Bastille in Paris with sirens, smoke canisters, and firecrackers. Union representatives cited mounting emergency call volumes, falling staff headcounts, and aging vehicle fleets ahead of parliamentary debates on a civil security modernization bill and the budget bill review set for 20 October 2026. Guillaume Civray of the SPP-PATS autonomous federation in Var described the conditions facing personnel.

We came to defend our profession face to face with the difficulties that we have encountered for years now.

Julien Dubois, a firefighter based in Seine-et-Marne, warned that staffing cuts directly affect emergency responses as intervention numbers continue to rise.

Clearly, we are tired.

The firefighters demanded permanent funding for departmental fire and rescue services (SDIS). According to the Observatoire des finances et de la gestion publique locales, annual operating expenditures for SDIS increased from 3.9 billion euros in 2012 to 5.2 billion euros in 2025.

High school blockades and student grievances

High school students joined the public sector marches in multiple cities, including Angers, Niort, and Saint-Lô. In Saint-Lô, several hundred pupils from the Le-Verrier and Curie-Corot schools marched alongside teachers. Pascal Roger, a representative from the Snes-FSU union, noted that students formed the main body of the local procession.

The youth mobilization expanded following an appeal by the Union syndicale lycéenne (USL), building on actions that began in Île-de-France over unreplaced teachers, deteriorated school buildings, and scheduling issues. The Ministry of National Education reported that 338 schools experienced disruptions during the day. By midday, 316 schools remained affected, including 40 facing blockades and 44 subject to attempted blockades. Ministry figures recorded 40 police arrests and 10 injuries among students and school staff.

Purchasing power demands across local services

The national strike drew participation from hospital staff, assistants for disabled pupils (AESH), and municipal nursery employees. Workers across local administrations described personal financial pressure caused by fuel costs and static wage bands. In Niort, nursery assistant Sabrina explained that she slept in her vehicle to afford the 50-kilometer commute on an unpaid strike day after 35 years of municipal service. Unions intend to maintain mobilization efforts as fiscal debates open in the National Assembly.