Nationwide protest add to tensions in France

Protestors clashed with police at locations across France from early Wednesday morning as a day of anti-austerity protests, under the banner Block Everything, took place across the country.

The hastily-organized demonstrations occurred against a backdrop of political turmoil, with the country's fifth prime minister in two years, Sebastien Lecornu, having only just been appointed to succeed Francois Bayrou, who was ousted after losing a confidence vote in the country's parliament on Monday.

Roads were blocked by protesters, with police responding by firing teargas, and as early as mid-morning Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters nearly 200 people had already been arrested, a figure that rose to 300 in the early afternoon.

Agence-France Presse reported blockades taking place outside schools in several cities, while news website France 24 said some hospital workers had walked out.

Paris police headquarters also said that it had repelled what it called an "attempted intrusion" by "a thousand determined individuals" at Gare du Nord, one of the city's busiest train stations. There were also attempts to block tram tracks, and to disrupt traffic on the city's Peripherique ring road.

Lecornu formally took office on Wednesday as the protests, largely fuelled by austerity measures, were taking place, and will face a major challenge as soon as he is installed, as it was a failure to get budgetary legislation approved by parliament that led to his predecessor's downfall.

"It's time for (President Emmanuel) Macron and politicians to understand we are serious," a student called Thomas told the Euronews website.

"We're angry with the political system and the fact that the ultra-rich and corporations are not paying enough taxes."

Eric Challal, a representative of SUD Rail-Paris, the country's third largest railway union, and one of two trade unions that joined the protest, said Wednesday's public display of anger was something that had been building for a while.

"What's being expressed today is what we've been feeling all summer, fed up and angry since the Bayrou budget plan was announced, asking us to work more," he told Euronews.

"We're fed up with paying, we're working hard, we're barely managing to keep our heads above water and to think that the hole in the deficit would be our fault is unbearable to hear."

julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com