2 October strike: red alert on social anger!

The country is on edge. After the 18 September mobilisation, the union alliance is at it again. The goal? Block the government's bad ideas before the budget is announced.

The CGT sounds the alarm: “anger is running extremely high”

Sophie Binet, head of the CGT union, doesn't mince words. On air she says: “Social anger is very much here, and it is running extremely high.” The message is clear: if the government rolls back on social policy, the protests will keep coming. It's an ultimatum.

Enough sacrifices. Binet condemns “political deals struck behind workers' backs”. 📢 Eight years of cuts is too many.

“Bury the Bayrou draft!” The demand is firm. Rolling back on pensions is a hard no.

Lecornu takes a hit. His letter to the unions? Binet mocks it as “the employers' federation's after-sales service”. Ouch.

Same story at the CFDT. Marylise Léon promises “there will be plenty of people marching”. She points to the central question: will the budget burden be shared fairly?

Turnout: fewer people, but the substance is there

Fewer strikers expected than on 18 September (between 300,000 and 350,000, according to the authorities), but the union alliance is out in force. 240 actions are planned across the country. From Lyon to Paris, things are moving:

Schools: around 10% on strike. A slight dip, but teachers' anger hasn't gone anywhere.

Transport: high-speed rail and metro services are near normal. Only a few regional and Paris-area trains are disrupted. Fewer headaches ahead.

Flashpoints: an attempt to block the ring road in Lyon (quickly dispersed, two arrests) and a Paris bus depot blockaded. Direct action is making itself felt.

What's at stake: the budget and social fairness

The unions aren't backing down. They are demanding:

• An end to doubling medical excess charges.
• No cutting of the 3,000 public sector jobs.
• Keeping the retirement age where it is.

This is the final warning before the Lecornu government unveils its budget. If the social rollbacks are confirmed, the street promises not to stay quiet.

Maximum security: police on alert

Faced with this climate, the state is bringing out the heavy artillery.

• 76,000 police officers deployed nationwide.
• 5,000 officers in Paris and its suburbs. A “very substantial” operation.

Zero tolerance: Interior Minister Retailleau warns: “No excesses will be tolerated.” Police will be “highly responsive and mobile” to counter rioters and attempted blockades. Drones included.

The rule of the day: protest, yes. Smash things up, no.

Even the far-right National Rally is weighing in. Sébastien Chenu is threatening to vote down the budget unless the government makes a clear “break” with the past.

The street, the unions, the opposition… everyone is waiting to see whether the new government will finally listen to public anger or carry on regardless. Today is the test.