Paris: A large number of protesters marched through the streets of Paris on Saturday to demand the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Fran§ois Bayrou, denouncing government policy and the "influence" of the European Union, several media reports.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the protesters, carrying French flags and placards reading "Macron resign" and "No to Europe," accused the government of serving the interests of a few and demanded the restoration of national sovereignty. They also opposed Western support for the Ukrainian government and called for an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine, chanting, among other things, "Macron, your war - we don't want it!"
"The French people are up in arms. They're angry at the austerity plan, at the prospect of war. They're fed up and want Macron gone. And incidentally, behind that, they want us to take back our national sovereignty," said one citizen, also calling for an exit from the European Union.
On August 25, Prime Minister Fran§ois Bayrou announced that he would submit a motion of confidence to the National Assembly for a vote on September 8, citing the deteriorating economic situation and the growing public debt, which he said was growing by pound 12 million every hour. The government is considering freezing pension and other social security increases in 2026 to control the deficit.
If the motion of censure were adopted by an Assembly where the government does not have its own majority, Fran§ois Bayrou would be forced to resign.