Overview

• Matignon confirmed a meeting with the eight-union intersyndicale for Wednesday, 24 September at 10:00, bringing all representative and non‑representative unions to the table.
• The unions gave Sébastien Lecornu a deadline of Wednesday to answer their demands and warned they would quickly call another nationwide strike day if he does not.
• The intersyndicale demands scrapping the entire draft budget and reversing key measures, including keeping the retirement age from moving to 64 and rejecting plans such as doubled medical co‑payments, a so‑called année blanche, 3,000 public‑sector cuts and unemployment‑insurance changes.
• Authorities counted about 500,000 participants in the 18 September mobilizations, while organizers reported over one million, reinforcing union leverage ahead of the talks.
• Lecornu has signaled potential adjustments to the prior plan, including dropping a proposal to cut two public holidays, and he is exploring revenue options targeting very high incomes while preparing to present the budget on 7 October without a clear Assembly majority.