The China Mail - 'Block everything': protests grip France as new PM starts job

The demonstrations, led by a loose left-wing collective under the slogan "Block Everything", are a baptism of fire for Lecornu, 39, a close ally of Macron and defence minister for the past three years.

France deployed some 80,000 police nationwide as protesters in and around Paris built barricades from rubbish bins, blocked schools and roads and pelted police with garbage early in the day.

In the southeastern city of Lyon, protesters blocked a road running through the city and set bins on fire, while in the western city of Nantes police used tear gas to disperse protesters.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned demonstrators that there would be "zero tolerance" for violence.

By mid-morning, close to 200 arrests had been made, Retailleau told reporters, most of them in and around Paris.

- 'We need change' -

In the southern port city of Marseille, police stopped some 200 demonstrators from blockading a main road.

Macron's decision to name a close ally as prime minister was a "slap in the face", said Florent, a protester in Lyon who gave only his first name. "We need change," he said.

Macron appointed Lecornu late on Tuesday a day after his predecessor Francois Bayrou lost a confidence vote in parliament over his attempt to implement austerity measures to reduce France's debt.

Lecornu, who is due to formally take the reins on Wednesday at midday (1000 GMT), had been tipped to take the top job in December, but Bayrou reportedly strong-armed the president into giving him a chance.

Lecornu becomes the seventh prime minister since Macron took office in 2017 -- the third within the space of the year.

His first challenge will be to give France a budget for 2026 without suffering the same fate as Bayrou, who lasted just nine months.

"The president is convinced that an agreement between the political forces is possible, while respecting the convictions of everyone," Macron's office said.

- 'Not OK' -

Lecornu posted on X that his government would work for "political and institutional stability for the unity of the country".

The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party has already announced a no-confidence motion against Lecornu in parliament.

Wednesday's protests had an uneven impact across the country.

While high-speed trains and most Paris metros were running normally, other rail services and flight schedules were disrupted -- including at Paris's main airports.

The decentralised nature of the protests is reminiscent of a previous anti-government movement -- the Yellow Vests, who emerged in 2018 without clear leadership and became a major test for Macron during his first term .

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said he suspected the "radical left" was running the protests, lacking support from "civil society".

Bayrou had insisted 44 billion euros ($52 billion) of spending cuts were needed to tackle France's debt and stabilise the public finances.

Opponents accused him of trying to achieve this at the expense of wage earners and pensioners while sparing the wealthy.

"None of this is OK," said Chloe, a 25-year-old student demonstrating in the southern city of Toulouse. "The working class suffers the most. There could be a better way."

"I thought there'd be more of us," he said. "It's unfortunate that there are more revolutionaries on Facebook than in real life."

G.Fung--ThChM