00:01A one-day national strike organized by trade unions workers and students drew
00:07hundreds of thousands of people across France on Thursday. The protest was
00:11announced weeks ago and took place a day after French lawmakers rejected the
00:16first part of the 2027 budget bill. The government has been struggling to push
00:21its austerity measures through a divided Parliament as France deals with its
00:26crippling public debt. For trade unions, austerity measures are not the way
00:30forward. Nationwide demonstrations began with student protests in mid-September
00:44before morphing into a wider movement against the cost of living crisis and
00:48rising fuel prices. In recent weeks, protests have snowballed across Europe.
00:56It is a very important part of the European mobilization, because each one has
00:59different situations. But the common point is that the young people
01:04mobilise for their right to the future. And the second common point is that the
01:08workers and workers can't be classed anymore and not have enough
01:11remuneration of their work.
01:13Student unions have branded the government's proposed measures as crumbs.
01:17The government's annonces are large enough, so it's a first step, but for the moment it
01:22says they will open 15,000 places to the university, knowing that 10,000 places have been
01:27suppressed this year. It would be for the government to take young people seriously.
01:32Authorities have rolled out major security measures following violence and looting which
01:36occurred on the 17th and 18th of October. The government says the measures are needed to
01:40protect businesses and citizens. Unions and rights groups allege they undermine their right
01:45to protest.
01:46Ms. Dan Nelson-Julian reporting for Euronews from Paris.
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