Macron Faces a Tense Thursday as Strikes and Marches Test His Grip Five Months Before the Election

France woke up to another round of street action, with workers stopping work and demonstrators gathering in cities nationwide. The government is anxious to keep the situation under control, because the presidential vote is only five months away and the memory of last month’s violence is still fresh.

Police Deployment and Crowd Forecasts

Authorities have put around 70,000 officers on the streets. The domestic intelligence service predicts between 500,000 and 700,000 participants outside the capital. CGT chief Sophie Binet said events were planned in 260 locations. Crowds formed in Marseille, Lyon and Nantes first, and the big Paris march was due to leave Place de la Republique at 2 p.m. local time, 1300 GMT.

Morning Clashes and Strike Effects

Teenagers piled rubbish bins across a Paris road and stood off against riot police. In Lyon, some protesters brought masks and safety glasses in case of tear gas. The strike reduced nuclear power output, but trains and other transport ran normally. About 17.5% of public primary teachers were expected to stay home.

Why the Government Is Worried

The October 17 riots and looting surprised security services and left damaged shops and public buildings. Macron called a defence and security meeting on Wednesday. An aide said the aim is to bring things back under control so the campaign can start calmly, pointing to fewer blockaded schools. Student Irma de Banville, 19, said fear of police violence keeps some people away, while officials promise to investigate any abuses.