Two days after Michel Barnier's appointment as prime minister, part of the left took to the streets to protest both his appointment and, above all, what they called "Macron's power grab." This slogan echoed through 150 demonstrations held across France on Saturday, September 7, organized by youth unions and left-wing parties.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, around 110,000 people marched across the country. At the same time, the prime minister paid his first visit to the Necker Children's Hospital, located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. Stressing that health would be a priority for his future government, Barnier stated: "I'm not here to make announcements or to show off (...) you have to understand in order to act, and you understand better by listening to people and respecting them," adding, "we won't be able to work miracles."
Further east in the capital, 26,000 demonstrators, according to Paris police, and 160,000 according to La France Insoumise (LFI, radical left), marched between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation. Despite the presence of LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon at the head of the procession, accompanied by Mathilde Panot, president of the Insoumis group at the Assemblée Nationale, and MPs Clémence Guetté and Aurélie Trouvé, attendance was moderate.
Environmentalists such as Yvelines MP Benjamin Lucas and Communists such as Paris senator Ian Brossat were also present. All continued to express their indignation that Lucie Castets, the Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP, left-wing ) candidate, who was absent from the Paris march, had not been appointed prime minister. "I'll gladly join in if all four NFP formations are present," said Castets to Le Monde on Friday morning.
Not all members of the New Popular Front (NFP) were present. The Parti Socialiste (PS) abstained, even though the NFP, accusing Macron of "democratic denial," has already promised to file a motion of no confidence against Barnier's government in the Assemblée Nationale.
Barnier intends to give priority to controlling immigration and reopening the debate on pension reform "for the most vulnerable," a bill heavily criticized by the NFP's political groups, but without "overhauling everything" due to the country’s difficult financial situation.
"Barnier, go away, we didn't vote for you," read one of the banners, reflecting the tone of the day. "By appointing Michel Barnier, Emmanuel Macron wants to continue the same policies," deplored Brigitte Biebow, 67, a retired higher education teacher wearing a badge from the Ligue des Droits de l'Homme. "When Michel Barnier's name came up, it made me laugh. Because he's a right-wing man and an old political shark. But I remain optimistic. If there are one or more no-confidence votes against successive governments, we may have a moment for Lucie Castets or Bernard Cazeneuve. At some point, they'll have to respect the results of the elections."
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