“Block Everything” Protests Rock France Over Austerity Cuts

“Block Everything” Protests Rock France Over Austerity Cuts

On September 10, 2025, France was gripped by widespread unrest as the grassroots "Block Everything" (Bloquons Tout) movement swept across the nation, disrupting transport, setting fires, and clashing with police in a powerful display of public anger against proposed austerity measures and President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership. The protests, which continued into September 11, saw an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 demonstrators block highways, burn rubbish bins, and occupy symbolic locations, fueled by frustration over a €43.8 billion budget cut plan initially proposed by former Prime Minister François Bayrou. The movement, born online and amplified by social media, marked a significant escalation in France’s ongoing political crisis, coinciding with the appointment of Sébastien Lecornu as the new prime minister on September 10. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the protests, their causes, key events, and broader implications, drawing on verified reports from sources like Reuters, Euronews, and France24.

Background: The Spark of Discontent

Austerity Measures and Political Upheaval

The "Block Everything" movement was triggered by François Bayrou’s announcement on July 15, 2025, of a 2026 financial plan aimed at reducing France’s spiraling budget deficit, which stands at nearly double the European Union’s 3% ceiling, with national debt at 114% of GDP, per Reuters. The plan included controversial measures such as:

• Cutting two national holidays, a move that enraged workers and unions.
• Freezing pensions and welfare payments, impacting retirees and low-income citizens.
• Reducing €5 billion in healthcare funding, prompting protests from healthcare workers.
• Slashing €43.8 billion in government spending, seen as favoring corporations and the wealthy, per France24.

These austerity proposals, perceived as regressive, sparked widespread discontent, particularly among the working and middle classes, who felt burdened while the elite remained untouched, as noted by Euronews. The political crisis deepened when Bayrou lost a parliamentary confidence vote on September 8, leading to his resignation after just nine months as prime minister, plunging France into further instability.

Rise of the "Block Everything" Movement

The "Block Everything" movement emerged online in July 2025, initially in far-right circles, but quickly gained traction across the political spectrum, including left-wing, antifascist, and anarchist groups, per NBC News. Social media platforms like X, TikTok, Telegram, and Facebook amplified the rallying cry "Boycott, désobéissance et solidarité" (Boycott, disobedience, and solidarity), with hashtags like #10septembre2025 trending, per France24. The leaderless collective, comprising about 20 organizers according to Le Parisien, called for a nationwide day of action on September 10 to paralyze France through blockades, strikes, and civil disobedience, per Euronews.

Key Events of the Protests

Nationwide Disruptions on September 10

On September 10, 2025, the "Block Everything" movement mobilized across France, with 812 recorded actions, including 550 gatherings and 262 blockades, per Euronews. Key incidents included:

• Paris: Protesters blocked major intersections like Place du Châtelet and Place des Fêtes, set fire to rubbish bins, and attempted to enter Gare du Nord station, leading to 183 arrests by mid-afternoon, per The Guardian. A restaurant fire in the Châtelet Les Halles district highlighted the intensity, with riot police deploying tear gas, per Reuters.
• Marseille: Police estimated 8,000 protesters, while organizers claimed up to 80,000. Demonstrators blocked roads and clashed with law enforcement, per AP News.
• Lille: Protesters used umbrellas to shield against water cannons, with some occupying real estate agencies to protest rising rents, per World Socialist Web Site.
• Rennes: A bus was torched, and power lines were sabotaged, disrupting local transport, per BBC.
• Toulouse: A cable fire affected rail traffic, per NDTV.
• Bordeaux, Lyon, and Montpellier: Highway blockades and roundabout occupations caused significant disruptions, with Montpellier seeing tear gas deployed to clear protesters, per Al Jazeera.

The Ministry of the Interior reported 473 arrests nationwide by September 10 evening, with 200,000 participants per official counts, though the CGT union claimed over 250,000, per Euronews.

Clashes and Police Response

French authorities deployed 80,000 police officers, with some estimates suggesting up to 100,000, per Al Jazeera. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau vowed “utmost firmness” against blockades and violence, coordinating mass repression with riot police, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds, per Reuters. Retailleau described the protests as “significant” but claimed the movement failed to fully block the country, as police removed blockades swiftly, per The Guardian. However, scuffles and arrests underscored the tension, particularly in Paris, where masked protesters clashed with law enforcement, per The New York Times.

Symbolic Actions

Protesters targeted symbolic locations, including town halls and administrative buildings, in acts of “peaceful occupation,” per France24. Calls for boycotts of major retailers like Carrefour, Amazon, and Auchan, as well as mass bank withdrawals, aimed to disrupt the economic system, per Le Monde. In Lille, students planned symbolic occupations of real estate agencies to protest rent hikes, while Bordeaux dockers discussed a 24-hour port blockade, per World Socialist Web Site.

Political Context: Macron’s Leadership Crisis

Bayrou’s Fall and Lecornu’s Appointment

The protests coincided with a dramatic political shakeup. On September 8, Bayrou lost a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly, driven by opposition to his austerity plan from both far-right and left-wing factions, per NBC News. President Macron appointed Sébastien Lecornu, his former defense minister and a close ally, as prime minister on September 10, marking France’s fifth prime minister in less than two years, per The Guardian. Lecornu, at 39, promised a “profound break” with past governance, vowing to consult all political parties to form a stable government, per The New York Times. However, his appointment was met with skepticism, with protesters like Pierrick, a middle school teacher, calling it “giving us the middle finger,” per Euronews.

Public Anger at Macron

The protests reflect deep mistrust in Macron, who has been in power since 2017. Demonstrators, including unionist Amar Lagha, demanded his resignation, chanting “Macron resign” and “Let’s tax the rich,” per Al Jazeera. The appointment of Lecornu, seen as a continuation of Macron’s centrist agenda, fueled accusations of disconnect from ordinary citizens’ struggles, per Reuters. The left-wing New Popular Front (NFP), which won the most seats in the 2024 snap elections but lacks a majority, criticized Macron for ignoring their mandate, per BBC.

Echoes of the Yellow Vests

The "Block Everything" movement draws comparisons to the 2018–2019 Yellow Vest protests, which began over fuel tax hikes but grew into a broader anti-government movement, per France24. Like the Yellow Vests, "Block Everything" lacks formal leadership and relies on social media coordination, attracting a diverse coalition of left-wing and far-right supporters, per The New York Times. An Ipsos poll showed 46% public support, with strong backing from left-wing voters and over half of far-right National Rally supporters, per Euronews.

Causes of the Protests

Economic Grievances

The austerity measures, particularly the proposed cuts to holidays, pensions, and healthcare, were seen as unfairly targeting workers and retirees. Mathieu Jaguelin, a 43-year-old tour guide, told Reuters, “I am extremely angry with the political system in France, which favors large corporations and ultra-wealthy billionaires while eroding the rights of ordinary citizens.” The cost-of-living crisis, coupled with rising rents and inflation, amplified frustrations, per France24.

Political Disillusionment

The movement reflects a broader distrust in France’s political class, exacerbated by institutional gridlock and a hung parliament, per Le Monde. The collapse of three governments in a year—Michel Barnier, François Bayrou, and now Lecornu’s uncertain tenure—has deepened public cynicism. Historian Andrew W.M. Smith told France24, “It’s about people feeling left behind,” echoing sentiments from the Yellow Vest era.

Social Media Amplification

The movement’s rapid spread was fueled by social media, with platforms like Telegram and TikTok hosting calls for action, per Euronews. French intelligence noted “opportunistic” foreign actors, including pro-Russian and pro-Iranian groups, amplifying hashtags like #10septembre, though the protests remained primarily domestic, per RFI.

Impact on Daily Life and Travel

Transport Disruptions

The protests caused significant disruptions, particularly to transport:

• Roads and Highways: Blockades in Bordeaux, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Lyon halted traffic, with Vinci reporting multiple highway closures, per NDTV.
• Rail and Air: A cable fire in Toulouse disrupted rail services, while the SUD Aérien union called for aviation strikes, canceling half of flights at Marseille, Nice, and other airports, per Connexion France.
• Public Transport: Paris’ RER B line, connecting to Charles de Gaulle Airport, was temporarily down, per WIONews.

Travelers faced delays, with SNCF offering free ticket exchanges for September 9–11, per The New York Times.

Economic and Social Fallout

The boycotts of retailers and bank withdrawals aimed to disrupt France’s economic system, though their immediate impact was limited, per Reuters. The protests’ scale, however, signaled potential for prolonged unrest, with unions like CGT and SUD planning further strikes on September 18, per Euronews.

Government and Opposition Responses

Government Stance

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau’s hardline approach, deploying 80,000 police and vowing “no tolerance for violence,” drew criticism for escalating tensions, per World Socialist Web Site. Lecornu, in his first address, promised to work with opposition parties to pass a 2026 budget, but his ties to Macron raised doubts about his ability to bridge divides, per The New York Times.

Opposition Reactions

The left-wing NFP and far-right National Rally capitalized on the unrest. Jean-Luc Mélenchon of France Unbowed called for Macron’s resignation, while Socialist leader Olivier Faure left open the possibility of supporting Lecornu if budget priorities shifted, per ABC News. The far-right, led by Jordan Bardella, mocked Macron’s “losing team,” per WIONew