00:01A one day national strike organized by trade unions, workers and students drew hundreds of thousands of people across France
00:09on Thursday.
00:10The protest was announced weeks ago and took place a day after French lawmakers rejected the first part of the
00:172027 budget bill.
00:19The government has been struggling to push its austerity measures through a divided parliament as France deals with its crippling
00:26public debt.
00:27For trade unions, austerity measures are not the way forward.
00:40Nationwide demonstrations began with student protests in mid-September before morphing into a wider movement against the cost of living
00:48crisis and rising fuel prices.
00:50In recent weeks, protests have snowballed across Europe.
00:53We are building a European mobilization because each one has different situations.
01:00But the common point is that the young people are mobilizing for their right to the future.
01:06And the second common point is that the workers and workers can't be déclassed and not have enough remuneration of
01:12their work.
01:13Student unions have branded the government's proposed measures as crumbs.
01:17Yes, the government's annonces are largely insufficient.
01:20So it's a first step, but for the moment it remains a bit.
01:22For example, they tell us that they will open 15,000 places at the university, knowing that 10,000 places
01:26have been suppressed this year.
01:32Authorities have rolled out major security measures following violence and looting which occurred on the 17th and 18th of October.
01:38The government says the measures are needed to protect businesses and citizens.
01:42Unions and rights groups allege they undermine their right to protest.
01:46This is Dan Olsen-Julian reporting for Euronews from Paris.
