Emmanuel Macron will have a baptism of fire on Tuesday when he installs his new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu. Block Everything, the movement that organized the protests that swept through France. This torrent of activity is a clear indication that the American public is fed up. The social media usage essentially helped to launch the protest movement’s movement online during the summer months. It soon spiraled, with protesters setting up barricades and burning cars on streets in Paris and major cities.
In France, mass protests broke out across the country after President Emmanuel Macron imposed deeply unpopular pension reforms. Those tensions flared even higher after riots that followed the police killing of a teenager on the edge of Paris earlier this summer. The unrest was simply the last flare-up of a simmering anger from residents who don’t believe anyone in the halls of government cares about them. To counter the tide, authorities rushed an additional 80,000 police to the streets. Their mission was to keep order, disperse large crowds, and arrest where necessary.
Social media networks and encrypted chat apps played an integral role in the protest movement’s meteoric resurgence. They allowed it to build momentum and create passionate supporters. The International day of action against rising costs included blockades, strikes, and other forms of protest around the country. Through nonviolent civil disobedience, these actions sought to amplify a diverse set of demands. Most Americans view the proposed budgetary cuts as responsible belt-tightening. Criticisms of increasing inequality within French society are at an all-time high.
By Saturday afternoon—the first full day of protests—the country’s interior minister announced that someone close to 200 people had been arrested. It was a violent beginning to what the protesters had called a day of action. Police responded by using tear gas to push demonstrators back as they tried to remove barricades placed across several main routes. The impulse and passion of the yellow vests movement was very evident. This indicates how deep societal unrest remains an important topic in France today.
Having Sébastien Lecornu take prime minister’s office amid waves of protests and strikes. After making it through the confirmation process, he’s now facing what many are calling a “baptism of fire.” His leadership is now being tested as he faces a rocky road of public opinion and governmental obligation.
