Photos: French students protest, public workers strike before budget cuts | Protests News | Al Jazeera

French high school students have blockaded about ten schools and public sector workers have gone on strike to protest planned budget cuts ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Clashes with police occurred in multiple cities, with fires and vandalism reported, and firefighters joined the protests citing resource shortages after summer wildfires. The government is set to reveal its 2027 budget draft, while unions demand the withdrawal of cuts and criticize four consecutive years of frozen civil servant wages.