Vers une convergence des colères samedi en France, Macron appelle "au calme"
Authorities expect some 200,000 demonstrations across France on Saturday, six months before the presidential election, to protest against the high cost of living and demand more resources for education, while President Emmanuel Macron is calling for "calm" in the face of the risk of violence.
This "convergence of struggles", feared by the authorities, comes against a backdrop of strong social tensions, fueled by soaring fuel prices and a decline in purchasing power in the second largest economy in the eurozone, which is heavily indebted and under close scrutiny by financial markets.
From a political standpoint, the radical left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI) hopes to benefit from the expected high turnout. Even though, for the moment, it is Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate, who is leading in the polls.
Speaking from Brussels on Friday evening, the French president reiterated that the right to demonstrate, "when fully respected," goes hand in hand with "respect for people and property, and therefore with refraining from insults and vandalism." "And so I call for calm and respect to preserve this right," he declared.
According to a police source, some 150,000 people are expected to participate in the demonstrations outside the Paris metropolitan area. The forecast for the capital is around 40,000 demonstrators.
Across France, around 500 actions are "planned" and more than 90 demonstrations are "being structured", according to sources close to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who anticipate "unrest".
Authorities have banned demonstrations near sensitive Parisian sites (the presidency, the Prime Minister's offices, the National Assembly, etc.) but also on the famous and very touristy seats of the Champs-Élysées.
- "The government is afraid"
The memory of the large-scale social movement of the Yellow Vests in 2018-19, at the beginning of President Emmanuel Macron's first term, is on everyone's mind.
It began as a protest against the increase in fuel taxes. Images of the violence on the sidelines of the demonstrations, particularly on the Champs-Elysées, were seen around the world.
This unprecedented movement was marked by 11 deaths on the sidelines of the mobilizations (including road accidents and illnesses), 23 people blinded and some 2,500 injured among the demonstrators as well as 1,800 injured among the security forces.
"This is not just a Yellow Vest movement, it is not just a movement of students and high school students, it is the whole people who are rising up and that is why the power is afraid," stressed Benjamin Ball, editor of the site on October 17, bloquons-Tout and climate marches of September 26.
The multiple demands of this mobilization, notably against the "high cost of living", which unites Yellow Vests as well as farmers and ride-hailing drivers, "join" those of high schools and students, have increased the number one of the CGT union Sophie Binet, candidate any "loss of steam" of the high school students' movement advanced by the government.
"We need to understand the seriousness of the situation: today, buying tomatoes, courgettes or filling up your tank has become a luxury. There are millions of workers who are completely suffocated and can no longer make ends meet," the union representative insisted.
- "A kind of culmination" -
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Thursday that the movement had turned into "a movement of urban violence".
On Saturday, stun grenades, the use of which was suspended "for the high school student movement", may also be used in the event of "extremely serious urban violence", according to the Minister of the Interior.
After a month of school blockades, the movement seemed to be losing steam on Friday on the eve of the All Saints' Day holidays.
"Saturday will be a kind of culmination," says 18-year-old Marie-Lou. "We'll be joined by workers, by the Yellow Vests who will also remobilize, we also have a bit of hope that there will be a convergence of all the struggles."
The president of the National Rally (RN, far right), Jordan Bardella, for his part said he was "worried" about possible "outbreaks" on Saturday, a day which, according to him, "is under the guise of legitimate demands" an opportunity "for the chaotic France to rally behind Jean-Luc Mélenchon", the radical left's presidential candidate.
Commentaires (13)
Tous les colons sont pareils: voleurs de ressources ,occupants et assassins comme les sionistes qu ils soutiennent.
La France doit payer tout le mal qu elle a infligé aux pays africains,aux peuples africains et a nos tirailleurs.
Un pays islamophobes,arabophone et negrophone qui veut nous imposer ses cochonneries que sont la pédérastie,le wokisme et le féminisme.
Nous la détestons,cette France sans foi ni loi.
La France doit payer le mal qu elle a infligé aux autres.
Elle doit s écrouler,s effondrer ou se déchirer dans une guerre civile,comme les guerres qu elle a fomentées chez les autres.
Le Karma et l' effet boomerang doivent l atteindre
Macron a trahi Hollande comme Diomay a trahi Sonko mais bon ce dernier est pire ,on sort du pouvoir toujours impopulaire avec la trahison
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