Thousands protest in France against new prime minister
Thousands of left-wing demonstrators marched across France on Saturday to protest the appointment of centre-right Michel Barnier as prime minister, accusing President Emmanuel Macron of a "power grab."Police reported that approximately 26,000 people attended the Paris demonstration, while left-wing organisations claimed a much higher turnout.
Smaller protests took place in cities throughout France, including Nantes in the west, Nice and Marseille in the south, and Strasbourg in the east.
Macron appointed Barnier, a 73-year-old former foreign minister and EU Brexit negotiator, as prime minister on Thursday, following his centrist alliance's second-place finish in July's snap elections.
Barnier stated on Friday that he was willing to appoint ministers from across the political spectrum, including "people from the left."
However, the left-wing coalition, which emerged as the largest political force following the June-July elections, albeit without an overall majority, expressed disappointment with Macron's choice of Barnier.
The left-wing bloc had preferred Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist, as prime minister, but Macron rejected the idea, claiming she would not survive a confidence vote in the hung parliament.
Many demonstrators expressed their dissatisfaction with Macron, with some demanding his resignation.
'Old Elephant'
"The Fifth Republic is collapsing," declared protester Manon Bonijol.
"Voting is pointless as long as Macron remains in power," the 21-year-old added.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI), a member of the left-wing coalition, claimed that the election was "stolen from the French" and urged people to take to the streets.
On Saturday, he urged his supporters to prepare for ongoing resistance.
"There will be no break," he said.
"Democracy isn't just about accepting victory, it's also about having the humility to accept defeat," Mélenchon said at the protest.
Alexandra Germain, 44, a project manager, accused Macron of disregarding voters' wishes.
"Protesting is the only way I can express my disagreement, even though I know it won't change anything," Germain said.
Abel Couaillier, a 20-year-old student, expressed surprise at Barnier's appointment, calling him a "old elephant."
"I'm still young, and I want to believe we can change things," Couaillier said.
Mathilde Panot, a leading figure in the LFI, claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that 160,000 people protested in Paris and 300,000 across France.
According to police, five people have been detained in Paris.
'Under surveillance' –
Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) in parliament, stated that her party would not join the new cabinet and would await Barnier's first policy speech in parliament before deciding whether to support him.
RN party leader Jordan Bardella, who hoped to be the next prime minister, said the far-right would closely monitor Barnier's actions.
"Mr Barnier is a prime minister under surveillance," Bardella, 28, stated.
Barnier responded that his responsibility was to all French citizens, not just the far right.
"I am under the surveillance of all French citizens," Barnier stated during a visit to Necker Children's Hospital in Paris.
To avoid a no-confidence vote, Barnier will oversee the budget, security, immigration, and healthcare, as well as account for the National Rally, the largest single party in a divided legislature.
With limited support in the Assembly, Barnier's immediate challenge will be to present the budget for 2025 by early October.
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