Anti-government protests flare in France over Macron’s austerity drive

Anti-government protests flared across France on Wednesday (September 10), with thousands of young demonstrators clashing with police in Paris and other cities over President Emmanuel Macron’s austerity measures.

Branded “Blocons Tout” (“Shut Everything Down”), the protests saw barricades, street blockades and fires as police responded with tear gas and smoke grenades.

Authorities said more than 200 people were detained within the first hour, while Reuters estimates put the figure closer to 300. Some 80,000 officers were deployed nationwide.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau accused organizers of seeking to “provoke rebellion,” citing arson in Rennes and sabotage of railway power lines in the southwest that halted train services.

The unrest followed the resignation of Prime Minister François Bayrou after a no-confidence defeat in parliament. Macron’s swift appointment of ally Sébastien Lochnour as his successor angered protesters, who had demanded fresh elections or a leftist premier.

The movement, lacking clear leadership, has drawn wide participation from students and young workers. “This is not just about Macron. It’s about our future,” a 21-year-old demonstrator told local media.

The clashes come amid a broader wave of Gen-Z unrest worldwide. In Nepal, protests against corruption and a controversial social media ban erupted this month, leaving at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured as security forces used live ammunition, rubber bullets, and tear gas to quell demonstrations.