Over 100,000 demonstrators took to the streets across France on Saturday, voicing their outrage against the appointment of Michel Barnier as the new prime minister.
The protests, called by trade unions and members of the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF), condemn President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to reject their candidate, Lucie Castets, and instead choose the center-right politician.
Barnier, the EU’s former Brexit negotiator, has expressed his willingness to form a government with politicians from across the political spectrum, including the left.
However, his appointment has sparked fury among left-wing parties, who feel their democratic rights have been denied.
Protest leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, from the radical France Unbowed party, called for a massive mobilization, with around 130 protests scheduled nationwide.
Demonstrators chanted slogans like “denial of democracy” and “stolen election,” reflecting their anger and sense of betrayal.
The left-wing parties are particularly incensed that Barnier may rely on the far-right National Rally for support, which they see as a dangerous compromise.
As Barnier begins forming his government, he faces a daunting task of uniting a deeply divided nation.
