PARIS, Sep 10: Protests erupted across France on Wednesday as demonstrators clashed with police, blocked roads, and lit fires in response to President Emmanuel Macron appointing a new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu.
The unrest, organized under the viral “Block Everything” movement, coincided with a nationwide day of demonstrations opposing budget cuts, inequality, and Macron’s leadership.
The French Interior Ministry reported 250 arrests in the first hours of the protests, with 159 in Paris alone. Protesters disrupted traffic, set fires, and clashed with police in multiple cities including Rennes, Marseille, Nantes, Grenoble, and Lyon.
In Rennes, a bus was set ablaze, and in the southwest, electrical cable damage halted train services.
Tear gas was used to disperse crowds, and makeshift barricades were quickly dismantled by the police. The government had deployed 80,000 police officers in anticipation.
Though the protests did not fully achieve their goal to “Block Everything,” they caused significant disruption nationwide.
This movement, born online over the summer with no formal leadership, gained traction in encrypted chats and social media, drawing parallels to the 2018–2019 Yellow Vest protests
Its demands are varied, including resistance to €44 billion in planned budget cuts and opposition to the removal of two public holidays proposed by outgoing Prime Minister François Bayrou.
Bayrou’s government collapsed earlier in the week after losing a parliamentary confidence vote. Lecornu, the former defense minister, now inherits a volatile political landscape marked by widespread public dissatisfaction, parliamentary opposition, and budgetary pressure.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau blamed far-left radicals for hijacking the protest movement, accusing masked and hooded demonstrators of seeking violent confrontation with police.
He also warned that some elected officials were fueling unrest, potentially pushing the country toward insurrection.
While the protests drew widespread support, not all citizens were in favor of the methods. Some criticized the disruptions as excessive, despite sympathizing with the underlying grievances. Many citizens voiced frustration with Macron’s governance, saying the country feels stuck in a cycle of crisis and political instability.
Since Macron’s reelection in 2022, France has experienced multiple waves of unrest — from pension reform protests to riots following a police shooting in 2023.
His decision to dissolve the National Assembly last year further destabilized the political landscape, resulting in a fragmented legislature with strong opposition to his centrist agenda.
As France enters another period of uncertainty, Lecornu faces the challenge of restoring order, managing the budget deficit, and rebuilding public trust amid mounting political and social tension. (AP)
