Anti-racism groups have joined French unions and a new left-wing coalition in protests across France against the growing nationalist far-right, as frenzied campaigning takes place ahead of early parliamentary elections.
Around 21,000 police and gendarmes were mobilized for demonstrations on Saturday, and authorities expect between 300,000 and 500,000 protesters across the country, France’s Interior Ministry said.
In Paris, those who feared the elections would produce France’s first far-right government since World War II gathered at the Place de la Republique before marching.
Crowds have been gathering daily in France since the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) made historic gains in the European Parliament elections last Sunday. This led Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call early legislative elections, to be held in two rounds, on June 30 and July 7.
A large crowd turned out on Saturday, despite the rainy and windy weather, holding signs reading “Liberty for all, Equality for all and Fraternity with all” – a reference to France’s national motto – as well as “Let’s break borders, documents for everyone, no to immigration law.”
Speaking from Place de Republique, far-left CGT union leader Sophie Binet told reporters: “We are marching because we are extremely worried. [RN’s leader] Jordan Bardella could become the next prime minister… We want to avoid this disaster.”
‘Fear-based ideology’
Among the protesters in Paris, some also chanted “Free Palestine, long live Palestine” and wore Palestinian keffiyeh scarves.
Among them was Nour Cekar, a 16-year-old high school student who has French and Algerian parents and wears the hijab.
“For me, the far right is a danger because it supports an ideology based on fear of others, while we are all French citizens, despite our differences,” she said.
Cekar added that he will vote for the leftist coalition because “it is the only political coalition [entity] that addresses racism and Islamophobia.”
Meanwhile, in the French Riviera city of Nice, protesters marched down Avenue Jean Medecin, the city’s main shopping street, chanting against the National Rally and its leader Bardella, 28, as well as President Emmanuel Macron.
Protest organizers said 3,000 participated, while police put the number at 2,500.
Nice is traditionally a conservative stronghold, but over the last decade it has swung firmly in favor of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and her far-right rival, Eric Zemmour.
Nacira Guenif, a sociologist at Paris 8 University, classified the rise of the far right as a “very dangerous situation” and said that many young people who participated in the rallies on Saturday denounced “the fascists”.
“This is a greater danger than ever. This is the first time that the far right has risen to 30 percent of the vote in European elections. The reason why young people and many people were on the streets today is to say they don’t want this to happen in France,” Guenif told Al Jazeera.
Big bet for Macron
Reporting from Paris, Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler noted that the French president’s election appeal took everyone, including his own ministers, by surprise.
“Macron says he called these elections because he heard the voice of the people, the voters. He said he saw the EU elections that took place and saw that people are unhappy with his policies in this government. Therefore, he says he gave the choice back to the people.”
The move is a big gamble, she said. “People are here to say they fear the far right that would destroy France’s values of rights, freedom, freedom and equality.”
To prevent the National Rally party from winning the next elections, left-wing parties finally agreed on Friday to put aside differences over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and form a coalition. They urged French citizens to defeat the far right.
French opinion polls suggest that the National Rally should be ahead in the first round of parliamentary elections. The party emerged victorious in last week’s European elections, obtaining more than 30 percent of the votes cast in France, almost double the votes of Macron’s Renaissance party.
Macron’s term still lasts for another three years and he will maintain control of foreign affairs and defense regardless of the outcome. But his presidency would be weakened if the National Rally won, which could put Bardella on track to become the next prime minister, with authority over domestic and economic affairs.
French voters go to the polls first on June 30 and again on July 7.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
