French unions strike against austerity, pressuring Macron

A woman runs past a poster stuck on a wall which reads "Block everything on September 18 and 21. General strike, Macron Impeachment", in Paris, ahead of a day of nationwide strikes and protests against the government and cuts in the next budget, with supporters of the "Bloquons Tout" (Let's Block Everything) movement, France, September 17, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

PARIS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands took part in anti-austerity protests across France on Thursday, urging President Emmanuel Macron and his new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to acknowledge their anger and scrap looming budget cuts.

Teachers, train drivers, pharmacists and hospital staff were among those who went on strike as part of the day of protests, while teenagers blocked dozens of high schools for hours.