Last week, an estimated 200,000 people marched in protests across France. They were all mobilized by the grassroots movement Bloquons Tout (“Let’s Block Everything”). These demonstrations were a direct answer to the proposed budget cuts of $150 million. These cuts have ignited unprecedented anger among nearly every sector of society. As a result, the government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is under increasing pressure to act. It has not yet rescinded the cuts aimed at combating France’s skyrocketing public debt – nearly €50,000 per citizen.
The protests unfolded amidst a backdrop of political tension in the National Assembly, where François Bayrou’s budget proposal faced significant backlash. This proposal featured €44 billion in cuts as the first step towards reducing public debt. Under pressure from that criticism, Bayrou’s government lost a confidence vote last week, making an already rancorous situation all the more stormy.
Movement leader and currently parliamentary group head of France Unbowed (LFI) Jean-Luc Mélenchon address the protest participants. He cautioned them to maintain discipline in their protests. He painted a picture of the collective action needed to advance policies uniting their fight against policies seen to benefit the rich.
“We need to be out in force, that’s how we gather strength to keep fighting… to force the government and the employers to put an end to policies that only serve the richest.” – Sophie Binet
The projected turnout was massive, with the interior ministry expecting 600,000 to 900,000 people to show up to protests across the country. As a result, to provide safety for the anticipated large turnout, authorities mobilized up to 80,000 police personnel. Yet, even after making these extensive preparations, tensions still boiled over. Bruno Retailleau announced that he would be “uncompromising and relentless,” instructing police to arrest protesters at the first hint of trouble. By mid-morning, morning reports suggested that 58 people had been arrested nationwide already.
The effect of the strike was tremendous. With a third of teachers participating in the walkouts and 98% of pharmacies expected to stay shut, public transport had a chaotic start to the day Thursday morning. A dozen metro lines in Paris closed, causing a nightmare for commuters.
Today, Lecornu threads his agenda through a hung parliament more divided than before, with three distinct ideological blocs. Unions are mounting a furious offensive against the Conservative government’s planned $4 billion in budget cuts. They argue for much greater spending on public services and much higher taxes on the rich.
Against this rising tide of anger, unrest, and protest, Mélenchon urged restraint from violent or aggressive behavior in the protests.
“Any violent actions would only serve one person – Mr Retailleau,” – Jean-Luc Mélenchon