Follow-Up: France's National Strike Day: Eiffel Tower Closed, 70,000 Police Deployed, Paris March Takes République-to-Nation Route
Paris — French unions held a national day of strikes and marches on November 5, demanding pay rises across the board, a higher minimum wage and pensions, and changes to the government's 2027 budget draft. The Eiffel Tower was closed for the whole day because of the strike, the Louvre opened with some galleries closed, and the Palace of Versailles warned of a significant risk of full or partial closure, with ticket holders advised to check rescheduling and refund arrangements.
The action was called in early October by five union confederations — the CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU — with other unions joining later. The CGT counted 252 actions announced across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez deployed 70,000 police and gendarmes, and intelligence services expected between 500,000 and 700,000 marchers outside Paris and 40,000 to 80,000 in the capital. The Paris police prefecture banned the unions' proposed Bastille-to-Concorde route and the administrative court rejected the unions' appeal, so the march ran from Place de la République to Place de la Nation along Boulevard Voltaire, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
The Education Ministry estimated the strike rate in public primary schools at about 17.5 percent, and 81 lycées were shut on Thursday morning. On the railways, SNCF ran about nine in ten TGV services, some regional lines were disrupted, and Eurostar cancelled three trains. The unions say the 2027 budget draft, with about €54 billion in savings, freezes social benefits and civil-service pay; they demand fairer taxes on wealth, inheritances and dividends, and a review of public aid to companies.
The strike is the latest in France's autumn wave of protests. The justice minister said on November 3 that 4,914 people had been detained over protest-related activity since October 17. GSM reported on November 4 that President Macron had convened a defence and security council to prepare for the November 5 protests.
Related: France Braces for Nationwide Protests on November 5 as Macron Convenes Defence and Security Council
Source: Ministry of the Interior of France
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：巴黎埃菲尔铁塔，该塔因11月5日全国罢工全天关闭。照片：Benh LIEU SONG，Public domain，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, closed for the day on November 5 because of the national strike. Photo by Benh LIEU SONG, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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