France Faces Growing Pressure as Student Protests and Public-Sector Strike Challenge Government Budget Plans

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France is facing a fresh wave of protests as high school students block school entrances and public-sector workers stage nationwide strikes over the government’s planned 2027 budget. The demonstrations come just two days before Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is due to present the draft budget and months before France’s next presidential election.

The student movement began in the Paris region earlier this month, with pupils protesting overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, deteriorating school facilities and heavy workloads. By Monday, disruptions had spread to around 180 schools, with demonstrations also reported in cities including Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Nice. Some protests have turned confrontational, with arrests and clashes reported.

Public-sector unions, meanwhile, called workers into the streets on Tuesday, with more than 170 demonstrations planned nationwide. Teachers, healthcare workers, firefighters and other civil servants are among those taking part. Unions are protesting planned spending restrictions and a continued freeze on the salary index used to calculate the basic pay of public employees.

The government is under pressure to control France’s finances while maintaining public services. The proposed budget is expected to include measures aimed at reducing spending, with unions arguing that cuts and pay restrictions could further strain already stretched services. The government, led by Lecornu, needs to navigate a fragmented parliament to secure approval for its spending plans.

The protests have also become part of a wider political dispute. Opposition figures, including left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have backed the student movement, while Lecornu has criticised attempts to encourage school blockades and condemned incidents of violence. The government has also warned that schools must remain safe for students and staff.

The timing adds further pressure because France is approaching its 2027 presidential election. President Emmanuel Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, meaning the next election will take place without him on the ballot. Political parties are already positioning themselves around issues including public spending, education, wages and the cost of living.

The government’s budget proposal on Thursday is therefore expected to be closely watched. Whether the measures can pass through parliament without triggering further protests or political confrontation will be an important test for Lecornu’s administration as France enters a politically sensitive period.