Overview

• Matignon confirmed a meeting with the intersyndicale for Wednesday at 10:00, bringing together all eight unions in an uncommon collective format.
• The unions set a 24 September deadline for the prime minister to address their demands or they will rapidly decide on new strike and protest actions.
• The intersyndicale is pressing for withdrawal of the summer budget plan, including opposition to raising the retirement age to 64, doubling medical co‑payments, cutting 3,000 public‑sector jobs, and changing unemployment insurance, while insisting May 1 remain a paid holiday.
• Thursday’s nationwide mobilization drew about 500,000 participants according to authorities and more than one million according to organizers.
• Sébastien Lecornu is preparing to present the budget on 7 October without a parliamentary majority, leaving limited time to negotiate a compromise.