Hundreds of thousands of French people took to the streets in cities across the country on Thursday to protest austerity measures in the 2026 budget.

With slogans calling for Macron and Lecorni to resign, people of all ages demonstrated peacefully – largely – in Paris, while some minor incidents occurred in Nantes, Rennes, and Lyon. Tensions between police and protesters also took place in Marshall.

On September 18, 2025, France faced escalating nationwide protests and strikes, with up to 800,000 participants opposing €43.8 billion in austerity cuts and a defense budget hike to €64 billion by 2027.

In a police briefing issued shortly before 4pm (local time), police said 140 people had been arrested across France, including 21 in Paris. Meanwhile, eight members of the security forces were slightly injured. Authorities also reported 282,477 protesters in cities outside Paris, with labor unions saying that the number of people who took to the streets to protest reached 400,000. Meanwhile, the pharmacists’ union said that around 20,000 pharmacists are taking part in today’s protests.

About 70 people tried to enter the Ministry of Culture

Meanwhile, around 70 people tried to enter the Culture Ministry at noon, blocking three of its entrances to protest against Minister Rashida Dati, an AFP reporter said. “Since they don’t want us to enter, no one will enter the ministry, the protesters chanted. “Dati, you’re finished, civilization is in the streets, they added.

They then formed a march and headed to Bastille Square to join the beginning of the demonstration.

Protesters also marched with smoke bombs and slogans to the Finance Ministry.

Tensions at the Voltaire metro station in Paris

In the early afternoon, tensions began to flare at Voltaire metro station in Paris as a group of about a hundred people dressed in black began hurling objects at police. Police men used tear gas to disperse them.

In Bordeaux, the march reached Victory Square without any particular problems, with protesters chanting “Macron, resign!” and “Le Corneille, you’re done, the youth are in the streets!” The presence of security forces was discreet.