Portside

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of several French cities on Saturday, September 7 to protest against what has been dubbed as “electoral theft” committed by President Emmanuel Macron who appointed far-right Michel Barnier as the prime minister of the country despite the fact that Barnier’s party won on;y 5% of the vote in the latest general elections.

The protests were called by the center-left coalition New Popular Front (NFP) in more than 150 cities across France.

The protests were organized in opposition to Macron ‘s appointment of Les Républiques party’s Michel Barnier as prime minister, a decision that has been widely criticized by the French left, which has called it a coup against the people’s will, as it was the NFP that had received the maximum number of seats in the July 7 parliamentary elections but had failed to win an absolute majority.

Michel Barnier, 73, is a veteran of French and European politics, historically associated with the right-wing Les Républiques party. With a career spanning more than four decades, Barnier has held senior positions both in France and Brussels (European Union).

Demonstrations have been going on in several cities across the country. In Paris, the iconic Bastille Square has been the epicentre of the protests, from where thousands marched towards the Place de la Nation.

“We will not give up until he is removed from office,” said Andy Kerbrat, a member of parliament for the NFP, who took part in a huge rally in Nantes, a city in western France.

Although the protest is supported by La France Insoumise (LFI), the French Communist Party (PCF) and the ecologists, the Socialist Party (PS) has decided not to officially participate. However, some local sections of the party have joined the demonstrations.

The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) has also distanced itself from this mobilization, concentrating its efforts on a labor strike planned for October.

In addition to the protests, the NFP has launched impeachment proceedings against Macron in parliament, arguing that Barnier’s appointment does not recognize the results of the legislative elections, where the NFP emerged as the largest bloc with 182 seats.

Macron’s party came in second with 168 seats, and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally won 143.

The discontent is emerging in a context of deep polarization in France. Latest opinion polls show that 74% of the French population believes that Macron has not respected the will of the people expressed in the ballots.

Amid political uncertainty, new Prime Minister Michel Barnier faces the challenge of forming a government and presenting a finance bill before October, all under the threat of censure by the opposition. The next few weeks will be decisive for France’s political future.