Protesters took to the streets of more than 200 towns and cities across France on Thursday to denounce spending cuts and demand higher taxes on the rich. In Paris, thousands of workers, retirees and students started marching on Thursday afternoon from Place d'Italie. The Eiffel Tower informed visitors in a statement it was closed due to the strike.
The nationwide strike, called by France's major unions, was the latest of a series of protests that started last month amid political turmoil and heated budget talks. Unions are urging Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to abandon draft budget measures proposed by his predecessor, which include social welfare freezes and austerity measures that many say will further erode the purchasing power of low-paid and middle-class workers.
