300,000 Protest Across France on September 7 Against Macron's Appointment of Barnier as Prime Minister

Sep 7, 2024, 03:15 PM

Thousands of people took to the streets across France on September 7, 2024, to protest President Emmanuel Macron's decision to appoint Michel Barnier as prime minister. The protests were organized by left-wing parties and unions, who accused Macron of undermining the results of the legislative elections in July, in which the left-wing alliance had won the most seats. Barnier, a center-right politician from Les Republicains, was seen by the protesters as a symbol of Macron's disregard for the electoral outcome. Organizers reported that 160,000 participants gathered in Paris and 300,000 protested throughout France, including in Nantes. Demonstrators carried posters accusing Macron of a 'power grab,' a 'coup d'état,' and 'stealing the election.'