“Block Everything”: People In France Are Holding Huge Anti-Government Protests Against Economic Inequality
More than 250,000 people across France took to the streets, holding a nationwide boycott, blocking roads, burning barricades and trash bins clashing with police to protest the budget cuts and calling for Macron to resign.
After the government collapsed, hundreds of thousands of people in France took the streets in what is called the "Block Everything" movement, calling for the president to resign. Here's what's going on.
It all started in July when center-right prime minister François Bayrou announced a new budget for 2026, with budget cuts, which would affect public spending, freeze pensions and eliminate two public holidays to reduce the country’s debt.
This made people furious as they are already struggling with unemployment and high taxes.
Then on Sept. 8, Bayrou lost a no-confidence vote in parliament over his plan, after both the left and right voted against him.
Bayrou was then forced to resign, making him the 3rd prime minister to be kicked out in just a year.
People celebrated Bayrou's resignation, but then French president Emmanuel Macron appointed another right-wing politician, Sébastien Lecornu, who isseen as a close ally of Macron, as the new prime. minister, fueling anger again.
A grassroots movement called “Bloquons Tout” or “Block Everything”, which had already been organizing against Bayrou’s budget, planned a massive nationwide civil disobedience on Wednesday, Sept. 10, during Lecornu’s inauguration.
More than 250,000 people across France took to the streets, holding a nationwide boycott, blocking roads, burning barricades and trash bins clashing with police to protest the budget cuts and calling for Macron to resign.
People said they had enough as the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
Reuters reported many of the protests were peaceful, but authorities arrested 473 people by late afternoon, according to local media, Le Monde.
Protest are still ongoing as of Thursday Sept. 11, with protesters saying they won't stop until the see real change.
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