Large-scale protests have erupted in France, leading to the closure of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Demonstrations, which began on Thursday, involved thousands of people voicing their opposition to the government’s austerity measures. Protesters, including workers, retirees, and students, marched from Place d’Italie in Paris, protesting spending cuts and demanding higher taxes on the wealthy. The Eiffel Tower management announced the closure due to the ongoing strikes.
The protests are part of a series of demonstrations that began last month. The French Interior Ministry reported that 195,000 people participated nationwide, with 24,000 in Paris alone. The protests have impacted regional rail and health services. While metro services in Paris remained largely normal, trains operated at limited capacity. Many teachers and healthcare workers also participated in the strike.
Protesters are primarily against the government’s planned budget cuts for the upcoming year. Trade unions are pressuring President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who recently took office and has yet to present a detailed budget plan or appoint his ministers. Union leaders demand increased spending on public services, the reversal of the government’s decision to raise the retirement age, and higher taxes on the wealthy. More than 500,000 people marched in cities across the country last month, with unions claiming over a million striking employees and demonstrators participated in those protests. The central issue is the government’s plan to reduce spending on public services in the next budget. Unions and protesters want to avoid cuts to education, health, and other public services, advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy to alleviate the burden on the general public. Demonstrators are also calling for the government to reverse its decision to increase the retirement age, expressing a desire for greater investment in social services instead of austerity.