Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to march in demonstrations across France as trade unions call for a nationwide strike expected to extend to hospital workers, air traffic control, the post office, teachers and rail staff.

A total of 70,000 police officers were deployed across France on Thursday morning as street demonstrations began in cities including Marseille, Grenoble and Lyon.

Emmanuel Macron’s final months in office continue to be marred by domestic crises, as high school students protesting over poor teaching conditions have been joined by workers in weekly protests over the cost of living. Meanwhile, the government is struggling to pass a belt-tightening budget in a divided parliament as public debt approaches 120% of economic output.

Before Thursday’s strike action, France’s four main rail unions said the government’s proposed budget cuts would “worsen poverty, slash social security, freeze state workers’ salaries and dry up investment needed for environmental measures”.

Amid the renewed protests centred on living costs, public spending cuts and the troubled education system, the far-right, anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen is polling high for the 2027 presidential election to replace Macron next spring.

High school students continued to blockade schools over overcrowded classes and dilapidated buildings, saying the government’s proposed measures on capping some class sizes and loaning funds to regional authorities to fix schools were not enough.

The government said 81 high schools were affected on Thursday, while students’ unions put the number at 1,000. In Paris early on Thursday, police stopped schoolchildren from barricading several schools across the city. On rue de Rivoli in the Marais district, students barred from blockading schools led impromptu street protests as riot police mobilised in the area.

University students joined in blockading faculties, with a third of higher education sites affected, the government said. Trade unions from across the political landscape joined in a call for strikes over the rising cost of living, with private school teacher unions also joining strikes alongside state school teachers.

Rights groups protested over what they said was heavy policing and an attempt by Macron’s executive to clamp down on the right to demonstrate.

The French Human Rights League said there was an “authoritarian shift” to stifle “any dissenting voice” as authorities issued restrictions on demonstrating in city centres, as well as curfews in certain areas.

Sophie Binet, the head of the leftwing CGT union, said: “We’re living at a very serious time with a very dangerous authoritarian drift from the government”, criticising decisions by authorities in cities such as Rennes, Toulouse and Lyon to push demonstrations out of city centres.

Marylise Léon, the head of the moderate CFDT trade union, said: “The principle of a demonstration is its visibility.”

The national rail operator SNCF said there would be “disturbances” to train services on regional lines and some parts of the greater Paris area. Dockers said there would be disruption in French ports. The education ministry said it expected almost 18% of nursery and primary school teachers to strike. Trade unions said they also expected secondary teachers to take part in Thursday’s strike.