More than 10,000 people took to the streets of Nice on Thursday, September 18, marching between Avenue Thiers and Place Masséna. Answering the call of seven major trade unions, employees, students, retirees and citizens gathered in a demonstration that was both festive and defiant. Protesters from across the Alpes-Maritimes expressed their anger at what they describe as an austere and unfair 2026 budget. Music, slogans and speeches punctuated this large inter-union protest.
“Without us, the workers, they are nothing.” The phrase echoed through the crowd, launched by the speaker of the CGT Alpes-Maritimes and repeated by demonstrators. From early Thursday morning, Avenue Thiers quickly filled up. By 10 a.m., several thousand protesters had already gathered, continuing the momentum of the “block everything” movement launched on September 10. The Ministry of Education reported a 17% strike rate among teachers nationwide.
Demonstrators came from Grasse, Antibes, Menton, and throughout the department. Responding to a joint call from CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA and FSU, the march set off toward Avenue Jean Médecin before reaching Place Masséna shortly before midday. Following the sound trucks, music—from Queen and Coldplay to Soprano—gave the protest a festive atmosphere, without diminishing its deeply political and social message.
A dense and well-organised crowd
Behind the union vans, demonstrators marched in an orderly fashion, in a joyful yet determined mood. CFDT, wearing orange vests, led the procession, followed by CFE-CGC and CFTC, while the FSU truck energised the crowd with a live rock band. Protesters chanted “Macron resign” in unison. As the rock singer shouted “Macron, take off and get out,” demonstrators tossed an inflatable doll bearing the likeness of the French president into the air.
Photo – Alexandre Percevaux
Around 11 a.m., the CGT reported 10,000 people in the streets of Nice.
Among them were railway workers, teachers, healthcare staff, construction workers, supermarket employees, retirees, and students, all brought together by a shared sense of injustice.
The march shows support for Palestine
Beyond the slogans against the government, some demonstrators also waved Palestinian flags. A speaker took the floor to remind the crowd: “We do not forget Palestine and the people of Gaza, victims of Israel’s genocidal madness.”
This message of solidarity was met with loud applause. The support for the Palestinian people, visible through banners and flags, strongly resonates with part of the French population mobilised across the country.
Photo – Alexandre Percevaux
Demands raised loud and strong
From the makeshift stage atop the CFDT truck, Flore Mollet, general secretary of the union in the Alpes-Maritimes, rallied the crowd:
“The different budgets being proposed are brutally harsh. They choose to make workers, retirees and the sick pay the price, rather than opting for tax justice. Enough of these billions of euros in public aid handed out to multinational corporations!”
Photo – Alexandre Percevaux
Anger was also expressed through more personal testimonies. Marielle, a French teacher at a vocational high school in Grasse, denounced the “deterioration of public education” and overcrowded classrooms. She explained: “Many colleagues are psychologically exhausted. Salaries are too low for a job that keeps getting harder and harder.”
Éric and Pierre, construction workers, highlighted the harsh reality of their profession. “In our line of work in France, one person dies every day and there is a serious accident every five minutes on construction sites,” Éric recalled. Pierre added: “When you start working on sites at a very young age, by the time you reach 50 you suffer from musculoskeletal disorders that prevent you from continuing to work. You end up dismissed for unfitness, unemployable, and living on welfare after spending 35 years building this country — it’s a disgrace.”
Despite the seriousness of the demands, the overall atmosphere remained warm and convivial. FO whistles echoed alongside the guitar and drums of the rock band. Protest signs mingled with union flags, while songs, slogans and music accompanied the march to Place Masséna, where a moment of citizen-led discussion was set to take place.
What’s next?
While the scale of the mobilisation was striking, the future remains uncertain.
“At this stage, nothing is planned. We are waiting to see what comes out of this demonstration,” admitted Flore Mollet. The unions do not rule out further days of action if the government maintains its budget plans.
In the meantime, on September 18, Nice showed a solidary and determined face, capable of bringing together all generations and professions behind a shared cause. A strong message sent to the government ahead of what promise to be highly explosive budget debates.
