"The ball is now in the Prime Minister’s court. If he does not respond to their demands by September 24, the trade union organizations will meet to quickly decide on a new day of strikes and demonstrations," a joint statement issued by the CGT trade union said.

Welcoming the "success" of the Sept. 18 mobilization, unions underscored that it was "not enough."

They demanded the complete withdrawal of the entire budget project, fiscal justice, adequate budgetary resources for public services, high-level social protection and the abandonment of plans to raise the legal retirement age to 64.

They also demanded social and environmental conditionality for the €211 billion ($247 billion) in public aid to private companies, alongside investments in a just ecological transition, the reindustrialization of France, and measures to prevent layoffs.

"The success of September 18 puts workers in a position of strength. The trade union organizations have already agreed to meet regularly to take all necessary initiatives to put the budget debate under pressure from the working world and finally achieve social justice," the statement added.

Unions claim that more than 1 million people took part in Thursday’s nationwide protests, while the Interior Ministry estimates the number at around 500,000.

Authorities reported that 309 people were arrested, including 134 taken into custody, while 26 members of the security forces were injured.

Organized by major French trade unions, the mobilization came in response to controversial budget proposals introduced by former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou.

The Sept. 18 action followed the “Block Everything” mobilization last week, which drew nearly 197,000 people nationwide.

AzVision.az

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