France, approached by fresh elections: Hundreds of thousands demonstrating against the conservative candidates
In Paris, around 75,000 protesters assembled, according to police squads, while organizers claimed a whopping 250,000 participants. Across France, there were a total of 182 events, as reported by the CGT labor union.
In the bustling southwestern city of Marseille, thousands flocked to the Old Port, sporting a cheerful ambiance. The authorities announced 11,700 protesters, primarily youngsters, among whom were families with babies in strollers, joining the resistance against the right.
Waving French flags, some demonstrators displayed posters stating, "You don't need to vote for the RN to love France," referring to the escalating right-wing National Rally of Marine Le Pen. Demonstrations also took place in cities like Rennes, Lille, Bordeaux, Reims, Nantes, Bayonne, Toulon, and Valenciennes. Sunday demonstrations were scheduled in cities such as Lyon.
The Saturday protests, largely, remained tranquil. However, in the northwestern city of Rennes, Antifa members were repelled by the police with tear gas. In Paris, certain buildings were damaged, and masked protesters broke into a bank branch. Some police officers were hit with bottles.
A coalition of five labor unions, left-wing political parties, and activist groups called for the demonstrations. Signs reading "The Republic is burning" or "The extreme right poses a lethal threat" were seen at demonstrations in the northeastern city of Nancy, where over a thousand individuals joined in.
A young student named Ariane Guinamand from Clermont-Ferrand attended her first demonstration, expressing fear after the RN rose. In Reims, a female demo-goer, 20, asserted that she felt threatened as a woman and a lesbian by the right-wing populists.
The right-wing National Rally garnered roughly 31.5% of the votes in the European elections held just a week prior. As a result, French President Emmanuel Macron disbanded the parliament and initiated snap elections to the National Assembly, taking place in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. The deadline for candidates to register is Sunday evening at 6:00 PM.
Per polls, the RN could secure similar high results in the parliamentary elections, potentially making the party the strongest force in parliament and enabling them to nominate the prime minister.
Former President Hollande rationalized his sudden candidacy for a parliamentary seat by underscoring this danger. "Since the Liberation (from the Nazis), the extreme right has never been so close to power," stated the Socialist in Tulle, his central French hometown in the Corrèze region, on Saturday. He added that the situation was critical, "more than it has ever been before."
Hollande admitted that it was unusual for a former president to contest as a candidate for a parliamentary seat in a constituency. He had been a representative for Corrèze from 1988 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2012. He served as president of France from 2012 to 2017.
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- In the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Rassemblement National, led by Marine Le Pen, is expected to secure significant votes, potentially making them the strongest force in the National Assembly.
- The French city of Bayonne also witnessed a demonstration against the conservative candidates, as part of the nationwide protests that took place in cities like Nantes and Rennes.
- On Sunday, protests against the conservative candidates are scheduled to take place in Lyon, continuing the nationwide movement that saw hundreds of thousands participating in demonstrations across France.
- French President Emmanuel Macron disbanded the parliament following the European elections and announced snap elections to the National Assembly, with the deadline for candidates to register on Sunday evening at 6:00 PM.
- In addition to Paris, the bustling city of Toulon also saw a large turnout at the protests, with reports suggesting thousands of protesters gathered to demonstrate against the right-wing political parties.
- In the European elections held just a week prior, the Rassemblement National garnered approximately 31.5% of the votes, leading to concerns about a shift to the right in France.
- While the Saturday protests remained largely tranquil, the situation in Rennes was more volatile, with Antifa members clashing with the police, resulting in the use of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
- In the French city of Valenciennes, hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against the conservative candidates, joining the nationwide movement that showed no signs of slowing down.
- The former President of France, François Hollande, expressed concern about the escalating right-wing movement in the country, urging his fellow citizens to take action and prevent the Rassemblement National from gaining too much power.
- In the northwestern city of Lille, protesters gathered to demonstrate against the right-wing candidates, shouting slogans and holding signs that reflected their opposition to the political shift to the right in France.
- The city of Marseille, known for its vibrant atmosphere, saw a significant turnout at the protests, with thousands of individuals participating in the demonstrations against the conservative candidates, contributing to the ongoing movement across France.
