The day the Iron Lady surrendered to public anger
Welcome to another chapter of “France: the political reality” where the scriptwriters, clearly exhausted, repeat the same script of social protests but with a plot twist worth mentioning: even the Eiffel Tower, that eternal influencer of postcards, decided that today was not for tourists. Yes, the most famous iron lady in the world closed due to general strike, because when the unions call, even iconic monuments leave the forum.
This Thursday, in more than 200 French cities, the soundscape was not that of accordions but that of banners hitting the wind and slogans against austerity. Thousands of workers, retirees and students – the holy trinity of French discontent – took to the streets to say “enough!” to the cuts and demand that the richest pay more taxes. Basically, the wet dream of any leftist and the nightmare of an economy minister.
A country in pause mode (but without remote control)
In Paris, the main march started from the Place d’Italie with an energy that can only be generated when political disenchantment is combined with citizen determination. Meanwhile, in the tourist offices, some poor employee updated the website with the most uncomfortable statement of the day: “Closed due to protests“. Imagine the disappointment of the influencers who went to take the obligatory selfie and found that the best backdrop in the city was, literally, on strike.
The majority unions called these mobilizations, the last in a series that began last month, because apparently the French political chaos is the gift that keeps on giving. Their main demand is that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu – the new guy in office – scrap the budgetary measures proposed by his predecessor, which include freezing social spending and applying more austerity measures. In other words, they want the little they have left not to be taken away from them.
The most surreal thing about this situation is that Lecornu, appointed last month, has not yet revealed the details of his budget plans nor has he appointed his ministers. It is as if we had a driver who does not yet know how to drive but already has the car moving. Meanwhile, Parliament, more divided than opinion on pineapple on pizza, must debate the budget before the end of the year. Shall we bet?
Sophie Binet, leader of the CGT union, summed it up with the sarcastic elegance that only a French union spokesperson can achieve: “It is the first time that there have been three days of strikes and protests in a month without a government or budget. This shows the level of social anger.” Translation: we are making history in the institutional chaos.
But the million dollar question is: why protest now? Binet herself clarified it to the BFM TV network: “Because we feel that it is now when the decisions are being made, and we want to be heard.” Basically, it’s the country’s equivalent of getting your foot in the door before it closes.
The pulse between streets and statistics
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 195,000 protesters took to the streets throughout the country, with 24,000 concentrated in Paris. To put it in perspective: that’s enough people to fill a good football stadium, but organized to chant slogans against capitalism instead of cheering for a team.
On the transportation front, SNCF, the national railway company, reported that high-speed train services were running normally – because even revolutionaries are in a hurry – while some regional lines suffered partial disruptions. In Paris, the metro operated almost normally, but many commuter trains were operating at reduced capacity. In other words, the chaos was selective, like those outfits that combine a designer jacket with ripped jeans.
Some teachers and health workers also joined the strikes, although figures suggest that fewer people responded to the unions’ call than in last month’s call. On September 18, authorities counted more than 500,000 protesters across France, while unions claimed there were more than one million. As always, in France even counting protesters is a matter of political interpretation.
Last week, the country had already experienced a day of anti-government action under the “Block Everything” campaign – a name that sounds more like a video game strategy than a social movement – where the streets were filled with smoke, burning barricades and tear gas. It’s almost as if the French have a love affair with street drama, a tradition as deep-rooted as wine and cheese.
What we are witnessing is the constant pulse between the establishment and the street, a dynamic as French as baguettes. As the government attempts to navigate turbulent budget waters, citizens are reminded that, in French democracy, popular pressure is the unofficial national sport. And when even the Eiffel Tower joins the protests, it becomes clear that no one is above social unrest.
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