France is seeing a day of protests led by a grassroots movement named Bloquons Tout (Let's Block Everything) in a show of anger against the political class and proposed budget cuts. The demonstrations are taking place on the same day new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was sworn in following the toppling of his predecessor, François Bayrou, in a no-confidence vote earlier this week.
Demonstrators blocked streets, set bins on fire, and disrupted access to infrastructure and schools across the country. Around 250 people had been arrested by mid-morning, according to outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. A bus was torched in Rennes and electric cables near Toulouse were sabotaged, he added.
Several thousand people gathered in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Montpellier. However, the disruption has remained fairly small-scale. Most of the arrests were made in or around Paris, where about 1,000 protesters—many masked or wearing balaclavas—clashed with police outside Gare du Nord train station. Some attempted to enter the station but were thwarted by agents who fired tear gas, French media reports.
Many protesters chanted political slogans against President Emmanuel Macron and Lecornu, carrying placards against the war in Gaza. The grassroots movement Let's Block Everything appears to have gained traction over the summer, encouraging protests against Bayrou's €44bn budget cuts. It predominantly features left-wing demands, advocating for more investment in public services, taxation for high-income brackets, rent freezes, and Macron's resignation.
In the lead-up to Wednesday's protests, Let's Block Everything urged participation in civil disobedience against austerity, contempt, and humiliation. A group of young protesters outside Gare du Nord expressed solidarity with those in precarious situations across France. One participant, Alex, 25, voiced frustration over Macron's handling of the country's escalating debt and skepticism about the new prime minister.
Lecornu, a Macron loyalist and the fifth prime minister in under two years, has already faced criticism from both far-right and left-wing parties. He faces the challenge of crafting a budget that will gain majority support in France's hung parliament. The radical-left France Unbowed party has indicated its intention to table a no-confidence motion against Lecornu as soon as possible.
Delivering a brief speech after the handover of power, Lecornu thanked Bayrou and pledged a commitment to tackle the political instability currently plaguing France. He emphasized the need for sobriety and humility, as well as a promise to engage in dialogue with opposition parties and trade unions.
Demonstrators blocked streets, set bins on fire, and disrupted access to infrastructure and schools across the country. Around 250 people had been arrested by mid-morning, according to outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. A bus was torched in Rennes and electric cables near Toulouse were sabotaged, he added.
Several thousand people gathered in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Montpellier. However, the disruption has remained fairly small-scale. Most of the arrests were made in or around Paris, where about 1,000 protesters—many masked or wearing balaclavas—clashed with police outside Gare du Nord train station. Some attempted to enter the station but were thwarted by agents who fired tear gas, French media reports.
Many protesters chanted political slogans against President Emmanuel Macron and Lecornu, carrying placards against the war in Gaza. The grassroots movement Let's Block Everything appears to have gained traction over the summer, encouraging protests against Bayrou's €44bn budget cuts. It predominantly features left-wing demands, advocating for more investment in public services, taxation for high-income brackets, rent freezes, and Macron's resignation.
In the lead-up to Wednesday's protests, Let's Block Everything urged participation in civil disobedience against austerity, contempt, and humiliation. A group of young protesters outside Gare du Nord expressed solidarity with those in precarious situations across France. One participant, Alex, 25, voiced frustration over Macron's handling of the country's escalating debt and skepticism about the new prime minister.
Lecornu, a Macron loyalist and the fifth prime minister in under two years, has already faced criticism from both far-right and left-wing parties. He faces the challenge of crafting a budget that will gain majority support in France's hung parliament. The radical-left France Unbowed party has indicated its intention to table a no-confidence motion against Lecornu as soon as possible.
Delivering a brief speech after the handover of power, Lecornu thanked Bayrou and pledged a commitment to tackle the political instability currently plaguing France. He emphasized the need for sobriety and humility, as well as a promise to engage in dialogue with opposition parties and trade unions.
