Hundreds of thousands of protestors are expected this Thursday, as part of a fresh ‘test’ for French President Emmanuel Macron. It comes just weeks after unrest ‘rattled his government’.
According to Reuters, the mobilisation, “called by trade unions including the left-wing CGT and backed by student groups,” comes “after demonstrations over living costs, public services and education triggered the worst civil unrest France has seen in years.”
In the background authorities have been working to lower tensions that the October 17th riots brought on. The earlier protest sparked riots and looting which, the outlet claims “caught security forces off guard, leaving damaged shops and public buildings across the country and fuelling criticism of Macron’s handling of the crisis.”
Just this Wednesday, government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon spoke about future plans in a press conference after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting. In his statement it was said, “we are extremely vigilant because it is out of the question to relive October 17.”
For the future, over 70,000 police are expected deployed nationwide, according to BFM TV. Moreover, domestic intelligence service expects between 500,000 and 700,000 people to join demonstrations outside Paris.
The outlet also quoted students were on the ground in the last riots and among them was a 19-year-old student in Paris named Irma de Banville. “We’re trying to keep mobilising as much as possible,” she said. “Some people aren’t doing so because they’re afraid. A lot of people are afraid of police violence.”
Presidential Intervention:
An intervention also took place on Wednesday, ahead of the protests in an effort to underline “how a movement that began with student anger over deteriorating school conditions and concerns about opportunities for young people” has “evolved into a broader challenge to his government.”
An official close to Macron said, “the goal in the coming weeks is to get the river that overflowed back into its bed and to launch the presidential election in the calmest possible conditions.”
