AFP 2 | Loic VENANCE

FRANCE
A protester walks through tear gas fired by riot police officers during a demonstration in Nantes, western France, on September 18, 2025, as part of a day of nationwide strikes and protests called by trade unions over France’s national budget. France was bracing for nationwide protests on September 18, 2025, with a source close to the authorities saying that around 800,000 people were expected to take to the streets. In a rare show of unity, trade unions urged people across France to strike in protest against the authorities’ “horror show” draft budget, designed to reduce the country’s ballooning debt.