Protest rallies organized by France’s left-wing forces against the policy of President Emmanuel Macron and for his resignation have brought together 100,000 people across the country, FranceInfo radio broadcaster reported citing data provided by the Ministry of Interior, Report informs via TASS.
The largest demonstration took place in Paris, with around 26,000 people participating.
Meanwhile, Mathilde Panot, head of the parliament faction of the France Unbowed (LFI) party, wrote on her X profile that 160,000 protesters took to the streets in Paris alone, while a total of 300,000 people protested across France, where up to 150 different events were scheduled for Saturday.
Apart from Paris, massive rallies took place in Nantes, Nice, Marseille, Rennes and other major cities. Their participants accuse the president of a ‘coup d’etat’ and violation of the principles of democracy as they believe that he should have appointed as prime minister Lucie Castets, who was nominated by the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) after the early parliamentary elections. They also resent the appointment of Michel Barnier, a member of the center-right Republicans party, as they believe that this will allegedly give more influence to the right-wing National Rally (RN) party.
Against this backdrop, Jean-Luc Melenchon, founder of the leftist France Unbowed party, has announced the onset of 'the right of the strongest' in France, calling on supporters for a long-term struggle against Macron’s policy.
On September 5, the French president appointed Michel Barnier, 73, former European commissioner and ex-French foreign minister, to be the country’s next prime minister. Barnier will succeed Gabriel Attal, 35, who assumed the position in January 2024, becoming the youngest premier in French history.