Private doctors plan ‘unprecedented strike action’ in France

Private doctors in France have announced a series of strike measures for the coming months, in response to the 2026 Social Security budget. 

Medical unions in the south-east of France have launched an initial call for strike action, set to take place on December 3, with larger national strikes expected to begin on January 5. 

Strike in south-eastern France on December 3

The strike initiative was launched by the Collectif médical Sud-Est (CMSE) on November 14, but has since received support from medical unions including the Jeunes Médecins union and La Fédération des Médecins de France (FMF).

Doctors based in the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Var are expected to gather at noon on December 3 in the Place Garibaldi in Nice, before marching towards the Promenade des Anglais from 13:00 - 14:00.

They are asking medical professionals across France to join them in calling out several issues, many of which stem from the projet de loi de Finances 2026 de la Sécurité sociale (PLFSS), a bill that determines the country’s health budget.

“Against a backdrop of continuously rising healthcare expenditure [...] the government and [state health insurer] l’Assurance maladie are paradoxically asking doctors to carry out ‘as many or more’ procedures to meet the needs of the population, but at a lower cost…” reads the CMSE press release.

“This unprecedented situation threatens the survival of all structures involved in healthcare provision (medical practices, public and private healthcare establishments) and undermines our entire universal healthcare system, which is at risk of collapse,” adds the CMSE.

Planned actions also include refusing to update patients’ dossier médical partagé (DMP) shared medical records, and asking all private doctors over the age of 60 to declare they will be ceasing their activity in six months' time.

Larger strikes expected to begin on January 5

The CMSE threatens that strike action will escalate throughout December, followed by a “massive strike of indefinite duration” starting on January 5 and leading to the “total paralysis” of France’s healthcare system.

A total of seven unions representing private practitioners (including general practitioners, specialists and other organisations such as Médecins Pour Demain) say they will join the movement of “unprecedented strike action.”

A “large national demonstration” is also planned to take place in Paris on January 7, states a joint press release published on November 26. 

Unions suggest action could last until at least January 15. 

Thousands of surgeons and private specialist doctors are also set to strike from January 11 - 14 under “l’opération Bruxelles” - a movement organised by union AVENIR SPÉ-LE BLOC, encouraging practitioners to go to Brussels so they cannot be requisitioned by French health authorities.

Ongoing industrial action 

Between 70% and 85% of the nearly 5,000 private radiologists in France were on strike earlier this month (November 10) due to state healthcare imposed cuts on the sector.

Assurance Maladie argued that the sector is highly profitable, and is a prime area for savings to be made.

Several doctors and healthcare unions in France also participated in strike action in April, in response to a controversial bill that would require new doctors to work in France's ‘medical deserts’ (areas of the country where residents have insufficient access to healthcare professionals).