French civil servants went on strike and high school students blocked school entrances on Tuesday, intensifying pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s centre-right government ahead of next year’s presidential election and the release of its 2027 budget draft. The government plans €54 billion in savings as weaker-than-expected economic growth complicates efforts to contain spending and the fiscal deficit. Public transport disruption was limited in the morning, while healthcare workers were expected at 170 rallies nationwide. Student protests spread across Paris, Lille, Lyon and Nice, with fires, clashes and tensions reported at some schools. Teachers, firefighters and other civil servants are seeking better working conditions and higher pay, while political surveys show Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon likely to reach the presidential runoff, with Le Pen viewed as the strongest candidate.