PARIS: France’s new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu assumed office on Wednesday amid nationwide protests disrupting transport, education and public services.
The “Block Everything” demonstrations organised by left-wing groups represent an immediate challenge for Lecornu, a 39-year-old close ally of President Emmanuel Macron who previously served as defence minister.
Approximately 80,000 police officers were deployed across France to maintain order as protesters gathered from early morning.
Masked demonstrators constructed barricades using dumpsters and threw rubbish at police on the outskirts of Paris according to AFP journalists.
Protesters blocked a major highway in Lyon and set fire to bins while police used tear gas to disperse crowds in Nantes.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned of “zero tolerance” toward violent actions or blockages of key infrastructure sites.
Macron’s appointment of another close ally as prime minister was described as “a slap in the face” by Lyon protester Florent who shared only his first name.
“We are tired of his successive governments, we need change,“ he told reporters.
Lecornu’s appointment came late Tuesday following the resignation of predecessor Francois Bayrou who lost a parliamentary confidence vote after struggling to implement austerity measures.
The formal handover of power between Bayrou and Lecornu was scheduled for midday Wednesday according to official statements.
The French presidency stated that Macron believes political agreement is possible under Lecornu’s leadership while respecting all convictions.
Lecornu becomes the seventh prime minister since Macron took office in 2017 and the third within the past year alone.
His immediate challenge involves passing a 2026 budget without suffering the same fate as Bayrou who lasted only nine months in office.
The new prime minister vowed on social media platform X that his government would work for “political and institutional stability for the unity of the country”.
The hard-left France Unbowed party announced it would bring a no-confidence motion against Lecornu in parliament.
Wednesday’s protests saw minimal trade union involvement with most planning their own widespread strikes and protests on September 18.
While high-speed trains and most Paris metro services operated normally, regional rail services and airport access faced significant disruptions nationwide.
The decentralised protest movement reminiscent of the 2018 Yellow Vest movement has spread to countryside areas and small towns.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez suggested the “radical left” was organising “spectacular actions” without broader civil society support.
Bayrou had insisted 44 billion euros of spending cuts were necessary to address France’s debt and stabilise public finances.
Opponents accused the previous government of targeting wage earners and pensioners while sparing wealthy citizens from similar sacrifices. – AFP
