Strikes against Macron’s economic reforms disrupt parts of France
Paris — Police scuffled with protesters in Paris and fired teargas and water cannon in the western city of Nantes as strikes broke out across France on Thursday in a challenge to President Emmanuel Macron’s economic reforms. Train conductors, teachers and air traffic controllers walked out to join more than 150 mostly peaceful marches in cities and towns — the first time public sector workers have joined rail staff in protests since Macron came to office in May. "It’s a real mess," said Didier Samba, who missed his morning commuter train to the suburbs and had more than an hour’s wait for the next at Paris’ Gare du Nord station. Up to 60% of fast trains, 75% of inter-city trains and 30% of flights to and from Paris airports were cancelled because of the strike. About 13% of teachers walked off the job, the education ministry said, closing many primary schools. Electricity generation dropped by more than three gigawatts, the equivalent of three nuclear reactors, as those workers join...
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