By Joe Montero
Crowds of protestors have been in the streets since the French parliament sent don a confidence vote that ended the François Bayrou government and President Emmanuel Macron handed the Prime Minister’s job to another mate. The third so far this year, and the fifth in the last two years.
According to many media reports, hundreds of thousands joined in as union members in transport, hospitals and pharmacies, teachers, and many others walked off the job across France on 18 September their time. Other estimates are that more than 1 million were out in the streets and 5 million went on strike.
Over 500,000 protest in France against Macron’s austerity policies
Video from NDTV
New Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has received a clear message. France is angry. Everything will be doner to prostrate his bringing down another austerity budget. He has just weeks to do this and form a new minority government, or he too will fall.
The source of this is crisis is twofold. France’s economy is in worse shape than any other in the European Union. And that’s saying something, when the rest of it is not doing particularly well. Governments have tried to impose austerity. France disagrees and won’t have it. The second source is that President Macron and his backers denied last year’s election result and refused to allow the highest polling winner to form a government. This action has no political legitimacy.
Immediate demands from the growing movement in the streets are an end to cuts in public services, a turnaround on the falling value of wages, an end to tax breaks for big business and the super-rich. There is angry opposition to the attempt to abolish two public holidays (Easter Monday and 8 May marking the end of World War Two). as there is towards ongoing attempts to raise the retirement and pension age.
French Unions lead nationwide protests against austerity measures in Marseille
Video from CNBC TV18
Protests and strikes over budget plans
Video from France 24
The gap between the super-rich and everyone else is now wider that at any other time in living Macron and a succession of governments, five in less than 2 years, have neglected all this and insist that the budget deficit comes above all else. There is a deficit requiring some €43.8 billion to be paid per year to meet the conditions of the European Union. But the cause is not too much social spending on the people. It is the more than €50 billion in tax breaks a year given to the wealthiest few. Stop that and the deficit problem is fixed.
Unfortunately, the political elite depends on the patronage of the wealthy to maintain its privileges. This is why Macron, and his gang persist on maintaining the same course, and are prepared to mobilise 80,000 police, paramilitaries, and keep the army ready to be deployed. Tear Gas, rubber bullets, and water cannon have already been made in attempts to clear the streets. Hundreds have been arrested.
Police fire teargas at striking protesters in Paris
Video from The Guardian
Unrest is not expected to end soon. Even if the streets are emptied for now, they will fill again once a new government continues to press on in the same direction. It too is likely to be short lived. This is the depth of France’s political crisis. Lecornu has now promised to not cancel the two public holidays. This will not be enough to placate the angry population. No one knows where this crisis will end. At the same time. it is obvious that the impact will be profound for France and Europe. And it may just affect global politics.