French demonstrators mobilize en masse against the far right, between despair and the desire to fight

In the street, before the polls. On Saturday June 15, the French demonstrated together to try to stem the electoral wave which is preparing to propel the far right to power for the first time since the advent of the Fifth Republic. Thousands of protesters across France were determined to make history. From the south of the country in Marseille to the north in Lille, 182 rallies were counted across the country by the French national union CGT, which had called for demonstrations against the far right with four other unions, several associations and left-wing parties . According to the police, 250,000 people took part across the country.

Although most of the gatherings took place peacefully, some clashes gave rise to 20 arrests in France, including 9 in Paris, and 16 police custody throughout the country, including 5 arrests in Paris.

Many people took part: young people, families with children, retirees, both undermined and driven by a worrying feeling: the anxiety of post-July 7, the date of the second round of the early legislative elections, and the inextinguishable will to fight to the end. Desperation was in the air Saturday, perhaps suggesting that the script seems pre-written? “I don’t think the left can win these elections, but it can prevent the RN (National Rally, far right) from having the majority. This could be the start of something,” declared Laurent Dolias. Is this really the dominant feeling? “Take a stand!”, “It’s not over!”, many others shouted. In any case, at 54 years old, this history and geography professor from Aix-en-Provence came to Marseille “to be able to express himself and not feel alone.”

“Please live up to it”

In the dense and festive procession which set off from the Old Port of Marseille at the start of the afternoon and bringing together several thousand people, Axelle Beaumont, 27, traveled through the city brandishing a homemade sign: “Young people piss against the National Front,” in reference to the former name of the RN. “Revulsed by the fear of the coming to power of the RN”, “which could let climate refugees die at our doors”, the young woman welcomed “with joy the formation of the New Popular Front. All the values ​​of the left are are finding today and we know that if we put political egos aside, it can work,” she said. “But NUPES,” the former left-wing political alliance, “failed, so we remain cautious.”

Since the dissolution of the National Assembly decided by Emmanuel Macron, the demonstrators still wanted to believe in awakening. “Meloni, Trump, Bardella. Get me out of here!” » read the sign held by Mélanie, 26, in Strasbourg, where the environmentalist mayor, Jeanne Barseghian, kicked off the demonstration with a clear press release. “Faced with the endangerment of human rights, we will not give up!”

You have 64.04% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.