What we're covering
• General strike: France is bracing for what could be its biggest demonstrations in years, with between 500,000 and 700,000 protesters expected to take to the streets across the country.
• Widespread disruptions: The strike is organized by L’intersyndicale, the group that represents all of France’s main trade unions. Education, health care, public transportation and other sectors are likely to be impacted with many services closed for the day. But the strikes go beyond the public sector with many employees of private companies planning to join in.
• Europe discontent: Anti-government protests have swept beyond France with Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Albania seeing unrest in recent weeks. While each country has its own problems, the poor state of the economy, rising cost of living and dissatisfaction with individual governments are similar themes driving the protests.
Updates
(5)Who is behind the protests?
Today’s general strike and protests have been organized by L’intersyndicale, the group that represents all of France’s main trade unions.
Education, health care, public transportation and other sectors are expected to be impacted, with many services shut for the day. But the strikes go beyond the public sector as employees of private companies are also joining in.
Other groups likely to be in attendance include students, climate activists and the Yellow Vests, the grassroots citizens’ movement established in 2018, as well as some allegedly extremist groups.
Parisian businesses prepare for massive protests, police deploy to train stations
Some high street businesses in the French capital boarded up their stores ahead of today’s demonstrations, as Parisians braced for another round of protests over the cost of living and other grievances.
Meanwhile, local police have been deployed to train stations across the city, with searches being carried out to confiscate dangerous items.
“No equipment intended for committing acts of violence should reach the gathering places,” police posted on X.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Wednesday that no level of disorder would be tolerated and arrests would be made if necessary.
He added that routes have been agreed between authorities and trade unions in almost all cities where protests are expected, but some disagreements remain.
CNN’s Lucie Lepellec and Pierre Bairin contributed reporting.
US embassy in France warns of travel disruption and potential hospital closures
The US embassy in France has warned of possible rail, metro, road and flight disruption as a result of today’s demonstrations, as well as the potential closure of hospitals and banks.
In the statement, the embassy set out several anticipated impacts including “possible closures or reduced services in Paris and across France” affecting schools, hospitals, banks and government offices.
It also advised US citizens to avoid areas where demonstrations or large gatherings were due to take place and “plan alternative routes and allow extra travel time for travel.”
It’s not just France – protests have sprung up across Europe
France is not the only European country seeing angry anti-government protests.
Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Albania have all seen unrest in recent weeks. Each country has its own unique problems which sparked their protests, but the economy is a key factor in all of them.
In Germany, a new youth-led movement dubbed “Gen Z has got this!” protested last weekend against the high cost of living, underfunded schools and universities, environmental concerns and a potential reintroduction of mandatory military service. While many of the protests were peaceful, water cannons and riot police were deployed in Cologne and Hamburg.
In Albania, anti-corruption protests were triggered by a proposed luxury resort project from Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. In Italy, rising fuel prices first forced people into the streets, while in Portugal, the issue of affordable housing was initially the main driver.
In Spain, the Ceuta migration crisis and the nationwide lack of affordable housing are among the main issues on protesters’ minds.
Underneath this discontent across the continent lie similar themes: the poor state of the economy, rising cost of living and dissatisfaction with governments’ responses to these problems.
How the economy is driving the anger
The protests in France come against the backdrop of a shaky economy, with the country’s growth lagging behind other EU members and its debt drawing scrutiny from credit rating agencies.
The French economy is perilously close to going into recession after shrinking 0.1% in the third quarter of the year. Consumer demand is weak, investment in manufacturing shrinking and its farming sector was hurt by a hot, dry summer.
The Bank of France is likely going to have to lower its already anemic forecast of 0.4% growth for 2026, Governor Emmanuel Moulin said this week.
“Unfortunately, I think it’s a bit too optimistic,” he said Tuesday.
France’s sovereign debt stands at $4 trillion, and it’s having to offer bonds at higher returns to attract buyers. This only increases the amount of interest the country must pay in coming years.
Fitch Ratings marked France’s credit score down at the end of October, saying it “reflects a deterioration since our August 2026 review comprising weaker growth, higher borrowing costs and a wider deficit.”
“These worsen debt dynamics from an already weak starting point,” Fitch added.
Successive governments have done little to rein in welfare payments beyond trying to raise the retirement age in 2023. France’s National Assembly has since suspended a reform that would have raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 for most workers until the 2027 presidential election.
