France braces for day of strikes amid political crisis

About 800,000 people to demonstrate against budget plans, putting pressure on new prime minister

Teachers, transport workers, hospital staff, pharmacists and public sector workers have gone on strike in France, as trade unions make a rare show of unity to put pressure on the new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, to rethink budget cuts and act on wages, pensions and public services.

About 800,000 people were expected to join marches across the country on Thursday in what is expected to be one of the biggest strike days in years. Schools, rail and air transport were affected. Up to 80,000 police were deployed across France from the early morning.