Clashes, disruption in France on 'day of anti-Macron'

Paris: French protesters were on Thursday staging a day of nationwide protests and strikes in a show of anger over President Emmanuel Macron s austeri...

Paris: French protesters were on Thursday staging a day of nationwide protests and strikes in a show of anger over President Emmanuel Macron's austerity policies, causing widespread disruption.

Public transport stalled, schools closed their doors and tens of thousands of people took to the streets for demonstrations marked by sporadic clashes with the police.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Macron's seventh head of government, vowed a break from the past in a bid to defuse a deepening political crisis after taking office last week.

But the appointment of the 39-year-old former defence minister and close Macron ally has failed to calm the anger of unions and many French people.

Many protesters took direct aim at Macron, who has just 18 months left in power and is enduring his worst-ever popularity levels.