France experienced a nationwide shutdown on September 18, 2025, as widespread strikes and protests targeted the austerity measures championed by President Emmanuel Macron's government. Major labor unions orchestrated industrial action that significantly impacted essential sectors, including transportation, education, and public services.
The nation's transportation networks faced severe disruptions. The French national railway company, SNCF, reported that only 30% to 40% of its scheduled services were operational, with substantial disruptions to TGV, TER, and RER trains. In Paris, the RATP-operated metro, buses, and trams experienced major interruptions, with several lines suspended and others running on drastically reduced schedules. Only the automated metro lines 1, 4, and 14 maintained normal operations. Air traffic control also saw industrial action, with the Syndicat National des Contrôleurs du Trafic Aérien (SNCTA) calling for a strike, leading to delays and cancellations at major airports like Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly. However, the SNCTA later suspended its strike notice for September 18, rescheduling it for October, though other unions maintained their calls for action, leading to some disruptions. Pharmacies nationwide closed, and educational institutions operated with significantly reduced capacity.
Several prominent tourist attractions, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre in Paris, faced closures or restricted access due to the industrial action. The protests were fueled by deep public dissatisfaction with proposed budget cuts, freezes on social welfare, and other austerity measures. Demonstrators voiced concerns over rising poverty, increasing economic inequality, and the perceived erosion of vital public services. The government deployed approximately 80,000 police officers nationwide to maintain order, and clashes between riot police and protesters were reported in Paris, Nantes, and Lyon.
The unrest unfolded amidst political instability, following the resignation of Prime Minister François Bayrou on September 9, 2025, after losing a confidence vote. Sébastien Lecornu was appointed as the new Prime Minister, inheriting a government without a parliamentary majority. The austerity plans, initially proposed by Bayrou and amounting to €44 billion in budget cuts, remained a central point of contention. Unions, such as the CGT led by Sophie Binet, expressed skepticism about government promises, with Binet stating that "thousands and thousands of strikes in all workplaces" were occurring and that "it's the streets that must decide the budget." Participants from various sectors articulated their grievances, with a rubbish truck driver expressing frustration at being "taxed like crazy" and struggling to make ends meet. Teachers highlighted concerns about the decline of public services, while students voiced anxieties about their future prospects.
Union estimates suggested over a million participants nationwide, while official figures placed the number between 500,000 and 800,000, underscoring the depth of public opposition to the government's economic policies and their impact on the nation's social fabric.