The CGT trade union reported that nearly 600,000 people took part in protests across France on Thursday. The demonstrations were organized by groups opposing next year’s planned budget cuts. The Interior Ministry cited a much lower figure—around 195,000 participants, including 24,000 in Paris.
On Thursday, October 2, tens of thousands of people in France joined protests against cuts in public spending, according to reports. The demonstrations came as President Emmanuel Macron was expected to announce a new government over the weekend.
Macron, with 18 months left in office and facing record-low approval ratings, has failed to pull the country out of a deepening political and economic crisis. According to AFP sources, he plans to form a leaner cabinet led by Sébastien Lecornu, who would become his seventh prime minister.
At the call of trade unions, about 600,000 people took to the streets, according to the left-wing CGT federation. The Interior Ministry offered a far lower estimate—195,000 participants. For comparison, two weeks ago, unions said more than one million people joined demonstrations, paralyzing schools and public transport.
Hundreds of Thousands Protest Budget Cuts. The Left Mobilizes, While Lecornu Faces the Task of Securing Support in a Divided Parliament
“You can feel the country changing,” far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said at a rally in Paris. “We don’t know what will happen. But we know the shock is already here. In what form will it break through?”
After years of excessive spending, the authorities have yet to find a way to rein in the fast-rising national debt. Critics, however, argue that the government’s proposed austerity measures will fall hardest on the poorest segments of the population.
In early September, the president appointed 39-year-old Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, choosing one of his closest allies rather than broadening the government’s political base or opening dialogue with the opposition. Former premiers François Bayrou and Michel Barnier left their posts amid clashes over the budget in a fractured parliament.
Lecornu now faces the difficult task of finding common ground with diverse forces in parliament and avoiding the fate of Bayrou, who proposed scrapping two public holidays and was forced out after just nine months in office.
On Friday, Lecornu is scheduled to meet leaders of the far-right National Rally and the Socialists. The center-left party has emerged as a pivotal bloc in parliament but has threatened to withdraw support if the prime minister continues to press austerity measures.
Macron Prepares Slimmed-Down Cabinet. Key Ministers to Stay, but Uncertainty Remains over Defense and Culture
The Élysée Palace is preparing to announce the new government lineup. According to several sources in parliament and the executive branch, the list of ministers will be presented either on Saturday morning or Sunday evening.
Sébastien Lecornu, formerly defense minister and known for his political acumen, plans to form a compact cabinet of 20–25 ministers. AFP sources said most key figures will retain their posts. By comparison, François Bayrou’s cabinet had 35 ministers. One outgoing government member said the downsizing aligns with plans to curb the rapidly rising national debt. “There will be many departures” and “three or four new appointments,” he added on condition of anonymity.
Jean-Noël Barrot is expected to remain foreign minister, while the question of Lecornu’s successor at defense remains unresolved. Among the possible candidates is Catherine Vautrin, the current minister of labor and health. Economy minister Éric Lombard, associated with Bayrou’s strict austerity program, is likely to be dismissed.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who has pledged to toughen the fight against illegal migration, and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin are both expected to keep their posts. Education Minister Élisabeth Borne and Overseas Territories Minister Manuel Valls are also likely to remain in the cabinet. The future of Culture Minister Rachida Dati, however, remains uncertain: she faces a corruption trial next year, and while some believe she will step down, others expect her to stay.
The country’s political life has been at an impasse since Macron gambled on early elections last summer, hoping to consolidate power. The move backfired, leaving parliament divided into three rival blocs.