Police on High Alert

Reportedly, France will deploy approximately 80,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide, with armored vehicles, water cannons, and drones also on standby.

In July of this year, former French Prime Minister proposed a 2026 budget draft focused on fiscal austerity, which included measures such as converting two public holidays into workdays, halving the increase in healthcare spending, and freezing annual rises in pensions and social benefits, sparking significant controversy.

On September 8, lost a vote of confidence in the National Assembly regarding the government's fiscal policy. On the evening of September 9, Macron appointed then-Defense Minister as the new Prime Minister.

The day after took office, he faced a large-scale protest. Subsequently, he abandoned the most unpopular plan to cut public holidays but did not rule out the possibility of implementing other proposals. Clearly, the public is not satisfied with this.

Public opinion points out that the core trigger of this confrontation is France's fragile public finances. France is globally recognized as a high-welfare state. However, in recent years, due to issues such as declining productivity and an aging population, the pressure on public finances from the high-welfare system has been increasing. France's social security system deficit reached €15.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to expand to €22.1 billion in 2025.

Although the government is determined to cut fiscal expenditures, labor unions argue that the related policies are "unprecedented" and "brutal," unfairly targeting "workers, the unemployed, retirees, and the sick."

, President of the French General Confederation of Labor, stated that the government's U-turn on public holiday policy is their "first victory," proving they are "in a strong position." "As long as there is no adequate response, we will continue to mobilize and fight. The budget will be decided on the streets."