Demonstrations in France Against the Far Right in Face of Polls Indicating Extremism Advance
People take part in a demonstration against the French far right party National Rally (Rassemblement National or RN) following the results of the European elections. Photo: EFE/EPA/ANDRE PAIN
June 15, 2024 Hour: 2:03 pm
Trade unions and left-wing parties organised demonstrations this Saturday in France, in some cases in large numbers, against the extreme right, which polls place as the possible winning political force in the upcoming elections.
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The security forces numbered 250,000 demonstrators throughout the country, 75,000 of them in Paris, according to a spokesman for the Police Prefecture, who said that until shortly before 18.00 local (16.00 GMT) had been counted four arrests.
The altercations during the tour in the capital, between the Republic Square and that of the Nation, with drizzles at times, were of little magnitude, said the spokesman of the Prefecture of Police.
Outside the capital, one of the largest marches was in Marseille, where the police estimated that there were 12,000 people. The General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of the convening unions, pointed out for its part that there were 250,000 in Paris and 640,000 throughout France.
This day of mobilization is the consequence of the electoral advance of the legislative decided by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, after the severe defeat suffered by his party, Renaissance, last Sunday in the elections to the European Parliament, in which it had to settle for 14.6% of the votes, compared to 31.4% of the National Grouping (RN) of Marine Le Pen.
In view of these legislative elections, which will be held on 30 June and 7 July, the polls that have been carried out since then predict a new victory for the RN, which would get more than 30% of the votes in the second round, while in second position would be the new Popular Front constituted by the left parties.
Autor: teleSUR English/ ACJ
Fuente: EFE
