France today is gripped by nationwide protests against President Emmanuel Macron and his government. Protests started after the appointment of Macron loyalist Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister yesterday. Authorities confirmed that more than 200 people were arrested during the first hours of unrest, as thousands poured onto the streets under the banner of the “Block Everything” movement.
The Macron government had deployed an exceptional 80,000 police officers across the country in an attempt to prevent large-scale disorder. Despite this, protesters erected barricades, lit fires and staged demonstrations across multiple regions.
As per the media reports, demonstrators clashed with police, blocked roads and set fires in Paris and other cities. Interior minister Bruno Retailleau said that a bus was set ablaze in Rennes, the capital city of Brittany administrative region. He also said train services in the southwest were halted after damage to a power line.
At the heart of the protests is anger over proposed austerity measures designed to cut France’s 43 billion-euro deficit. Former Prime Minister François Bayrou, who resined on Monday after losing parliamentary confidence vote on Monday, had announced measures like cutting public holidays and freezing pensions, resigned shortly after the defeat. Yesterday, Macron appointed Sébastien Lecornu, his loyal defence minister, as the new prime minister who is the fourth in just 12 months.
Protest organisers argued that Bayrou’s resignation did not change their grievances. As per the media reports, the rapid changes at the top underscored widespread discontent. Opposition parties accused the president of ignoring voter frustration by choosing another loyalist.
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