Massive anti-austerity strikes and protests held in France

Massive anti-austerity protests and labour strikes were held across France on Thursday, in a show of anger over President Emmanuel Macron's austerity policies, France 24 reports. 

Citing organizers, France 24 reported that one million people took part in the strikes and protests. But the government said there were 500,000 protesters, according to the report.

The demonstrators urged President Emmanuel Macron and his new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to acknowledge their anger and scrap looming budget cuts, according to France 24.

Teachers, train drivers, pharmacists and hospital staff were among those who went on strike as part of the day of protests, while teenagers blocked dozens of high schools for hours. Protesters and unions called for the previous government's fiscal plans to be scrapped, for more spending on public services, higher taxes on the wealthy and for the reversal of an unpopular change making people work longer to get a pension, France 24 reported.

Macron's new prime minister said on social media that he would meet the unions in the coming days.

"The demands made by the union representatives and echoed by demonstrators in the marches are at the heart of the consultations I have initiated,” he said on X.

Regional trains were heavily affected, while most of the country's high-speed TGV train lines worked, officials said, according to France 24. Protesters gathered to slow down traffic on a highway near the southeastern city of Toulon.

In Paris, police on several occasions threw teargas.