The ousting of François Bayrou has not slowed calls for mass mobilisation across France on Tuesday 10th September, with strikes, transport disruption and demonstrations expected from the French Riviera to Paris.
The collapse of François Bayrou’s government on Monday has not derailed the Bloquons Tout movement. Organisers insist the 10th September protest will go ahead as planned, targeting not just Bayrou’s austerity budget but President Emmanuel Macron himself. With anger centred on pension freezes, scrapped public holidays and cuts to public services, the citizen-led campaign is calling for nothing less than a nationwide shutdown.
A “massive” security operation is set to accompany the protests, with Interior Ministry plans calling for 80,000 police officers and gendarmes to be deployed nationwide. The force will be supported by around 30 helicopters, drones, water cannon and even armoured Centaur vehicles, in what Senator Bruno Retailleau described as an unprecedented mobilisation to prevent unrest during the Bloquons Tout movement.
Transport disruptions across France
The SNCF has confirmed that train services will be disrupted on Wednesday. TER, Intercités and regional services in Île-de-France are expected to run at reduced capacity, while trains across the Var and Côte d’Azur will also be affected. The carrier says TGV Inoui, Ouigo and international high-speed trains should operate normally. The CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail unions have both urged railway workers to join the strike, even as other unions focus on a broader mobilisation scheduled for 18th September. Air France’s CGT section has also warned of action, while smaller unions are calling for blockades at airports including Nice.
Protests planned in the Alpes-Maritimes
On the Riviera, demonstrators are preparing a day of coordinated action. According to Nice Matin, early gatherings are scheduled at 7am at the Cians roundabout in Touët-sur-Var, followed by 8am at the Provence roundabout in Antibes. At 10am, protestors will target Medef offices in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, before larger afternoon assemblies in Nice, including at the Carlone faculty, the Palais des Expositions and Place Carlou-Aubert in Old Town. Additional events include an 11.30am mobilisation in central Nice, a citizens’ assembly in Antibes at 7pm, and a “Vélorution” cycling protest in Tende.
A movement gaining structure
Though born on social media, Bloquons Tout is proving more organised than the Yellow Vests movement of 2018. Telegram groups now coordinate regional assemblies and share toolkits on how to run public meetings, distribute speaking roles and recruit support. Posters with QR codes link to messaging groups, while online tutorials prepare participants for outreach. Intelligence services remain on alert, with fears of surprise blockades at Nice airport or on Place Masséna.
Anger meets uncertainty
The movement has been endorsed locally by the CGT and La France Insoumise, but its broad, leaderless structure leaves outcomes uncertain. Some see it as a necessary outcry against declining living standards, while others dismiss it as politically hijacked or fear it could descend into chaos. What is clear is that the fall of Bayrou has not cooled the mood. With Bloquons Tout promising to “bring down Macron” next, France is bracing for a day of disruption — one that could either fizzle out or ignite a prolonged social crisis.
See also:
French PM François Bayrou resigns after historic parliamentary defeat
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