Hundreds of thousands of workers took part in strike action across France, after trade unions called for a day of protests against budget cuts. The strikes come barely a week after Sébastien Lecornu, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, was appointed prime minister following the toppling of François Bayrou’s government. Unions have called for more spending on public services, higher taxes on the wealthy and for the budget cuts outlined by the short-lived Bayrou government to be axed. n18oc_world n18oc_crux