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| Fresh strikes held in France amid continuing political void | Fresh strikes held in France amid continuing political void |
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| Unions aim to keep up pressure on new PM, who has still not formed a government, over budget and super-rich tax | Unions aim to keep up pressure on new PM, who has still not formed a government, over budget and super-rich tax |
| French trade unions are leading a day of strikes as they try to maintain pressure on the new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, to rethink budget cuts and consider a form of wealth tax on the super-rich. | |
| Lecornu has still not formed a new government after being appointed on 9 September amid a political crisis when his predecessor, François Bayrou, was dramatically ousted over proposed budget cuts. Lecornu’s unprecedented delay in announcing a new cabinet has angered opposition parties and trade unions, who have voiced concerns over budget cuts and protecting public services. | Lecornu has still not formed a new government after being appointed on 9 September amid a political crisis when his predecessor, François Bayrou, was dramatically ousted over proposed budget cuts. Lecornu’s unprecedented delay in announcing a new cabinet has angered opposition parties and trade unions, who have voiced concerns over budget cuts and protecting public services. |
| Between 500,000 and 1 million demonstrators took part in a nationwide strike on 18 September in trade union-led protests over taxes and social justice, according to figures from police and trade unions. But the strike on Thursday, which will involve about 240 marches in towns and cities, is expected to be slightly smaller with less disruption to transport and schools. About 70,000 police and gendarmes have been mobilised across France. | |
| Aurélie Gagnier, the co-general secretary of the FSU-SNUipp education union, told France Info that the “lack of political clarity” in France meant fewer education workers would take part in the strike on Thursday. “But the workers we meet support the need for more tax justice and social justice and recognise the need for a budget that addresses schools’ needs,” she said. | Aurélie Gagnier, the co-general secretary of the FSU-SNUipp education union, told France Info that the “lack of political clarity” in France meant fewer education workers would take part in the strike on Thursday. “But the workers we meet support the need for more tax justice and social justice and recognise the need for a budget that addresses schools’ needs,” she said. |
| Lecornu, a close ally of the centrist president, Emmanuel Macron, is expected to make his first speech to parliament next week and announce the new government in the coming days. | Lecornu, a close ally of the centrist president, Emmanuel Macron, is expected to make his first speech to parliament next week and announce the new government in the coming days. |
| His immediate task is to come up with a 2026 budget for France. But there is uncertainty over the exact form it will take, or how he will get it through parliament. Macron’s centrist grouping does not have a parliament majority and likely needs some form of support from the rightwing Les Républicains party and the Socialists to pass a budget. | His immediate task is to come up with a 2026 budget for France. But there is uncertainty over the exact form it will take, or how he will get it through parliament. Macron’s centrist grouping does not have a parliament majority and likely needs some form of support from the rightwing Les Républicains party and the Socialists to pass a budget. |
| In his first newspaper interview with Le Parisien last week, Lecornu ruled out creating a new form of wealth tax or suspending Macron’s unpopular rise in the pension age – key demands from the Socialists. | In his first newspaper interview with Le Parisien last week, Lecornu ruled out creating a new form of wealth tax or suspending Macron’s unpopular rise in the pension age – key demands from the Socialists. |
| Lecornu said he aimed for a budget deficit of about 4.7% of GDP in 2026, not much changed from Bayrou’s target of 4.6%, which he sought to reduce from a forecast of 5.4% this year. | Lecornu said he aimed for a budget deficit of about 4.7% of GDP in 2026, not much changed from Bayrou’s target of 4.6%, which he sought to reduce from a forecast of 5.4% this year. |
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| Lecornu ruled out a proposal by the economist Gabriel Zucman, which is backed by the Socialists, for a 2% wealth tax on France’s 0.01% wealthiest in the 2026 budget. The Socialists, who want a move on wealth tax as the price for helping to get a budget through, will meet Lecornu for more talks on Friday. | Lecornu ruled out a proposal by the economist Gabriel Zucman, which is backed by the Socialists, for a 2% wealth tax on France’s 0.01% wealthiest in the 2026 budget. The Socialists, who want a move on wealth tax as the price for helping to get a budget through, will meet Lecornu for more talks on Friday. |
| Lecornu told Le Parisien last week: “There is political and societal demand for greater tax justice, particularly in order to restore our public finances. We can’t dismiss this debate out of hand. But is the Zucman tax the right answer? The only answer? Personally, I do not believe so.” | Lecornu told Le Parisien last week: “There is political and societal demand for greater tax justice, particularly in order to restore our public finances. We can’t dismiss this debate out of hand. But is the Zucman tax the right answer? The only answer? Personally, I do not believe so.” |
| This week Lecornu wrote to trade unions promising to improve pension provisions for women. Trade unions said they instead wanted a suspension of Macron’s changes to the pension system, pushed through without a parliament vote in 2023, and a complete rethink. | This week Lecornu wrote to trade unions promising to improve pension provisions for women. Trade unions said they instead wanted a suspension of Macron’s changes to the pension system, pushed through without a parliament vote in 2023, and a complete rethink. |