Nov 2026 : The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on Thursday as a nationwide strike brought demonstrations, disruptions and protests to several parts of France over salaries, purchasing power and rising living costs.
“Due to the nationwide strike, the Eiffel Tower is closed today,” the iconic monument announced on its official website.
By 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT), around 270,000 demonstrators had participated in 180 protests across France, excluding Paris, according to French television channel BFM TV, which cited sources close to the Interior Minister.
The strike also affected educational institutions and government offices. According to figures released by the French Ministry of National Education, 15.81 per cent of teachers participated in Thursday’s strike. Nearly 33 per cent of higher education institutions were disrupted by midday, affecting 60 of the country’s 184 institutions.
Meanwhile, figures from the Ministry of Public Action and Accounts showed that nearly 10 per cent of employees in the French state civil service joined the strike, demanding better salaries and improved purchasing power.
The demonstrations come amid growing political uncertainty following French lawmakers’ rejection of the first part of the proposed 2027 budget bill. The government’s original budget proposal will now be placed before the Senate, where a vote is scheduled for December 9. A parliamentary committee will subsequently attempt to reach a compromise before the legislation returns to the National Assembly.
France has witnessed weeks of protests, initially triggered by student demonstrations that began in September. Students raised concerns over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and difficulties in securing university admissions.
The movement has since gained wider support, with trade unions joining the protests and highlighting concerns over the rising cost of living and increasing fuel prices.
Ahead of Thursday’s demonstrations, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment of more than 70,000 law enforcement personnel across the country.
He said the primary responsibility of security forces would be to ensure that demonstrations remained peaceful and were conducted without incidents.
Nunez also warned that intelligence agencies had detected considerable interest from far-left groups and violent protest organisations. Authorities were concerned about possible attempts to provoke unrest, organise unauthorised marches and engage in looting or vandalism targeting businesses and public buildings.
The widespread participation in Thursday’s strike reflects growing public discontent over economic pressures and government policies, adding to the challenges facing the French administration.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
