Protesters march during a demonstration called by major trade unions to oppose budget cuts, in Lille, northern France, Sept. 18, 2025. The union movement, building on demo or manifestation or manif of earlier this month, most likely doubled or tripled those figures. They took a place at the front of the union cortege with a combative stance toward the police, though it has been frequently rumored that some of their number are paid police agitators. On the front of one truck in the cortege, reading “They Want Austerity [but] Another Budget Is Vital” was a people’s response to Macron’s tax cuts for the rich. Other demands were more modest and indicated the scarcity conditions of French workers who are already experiencing austerity.