The French Ministry of Internal Affairs announced 295 arrests in the first hours of demonstrations against the political class and planned budget cuts. On Wednesday, protesters blocked roads and set fires in Paris and other cities across France. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated that a bus was set on fire in the western city of Rennes. In the southwest, a fire damaged electrical cables, causing train service disruptions on one line and delays on another, reported government transport authorities.
“Currently, the protests appear to be less intense than previous waves of unrest that have periodically shaken Macron during both his first and second presidential terms,” the publication writes.
New Prime Minister
It is worth noting that on September 9, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed former Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as the new Prime Minister of the country, the fifth in the last two years. This decision was made against the backdrop of escalating political crisis and the previous government's failed attempts to pass the budget.
Protests in France have gathered hundreds of arrests against a backdrop of discontent with the political agenda and plans for budget reforms. The new Prime Minister faces the tough task of reconciling conflicting interests and dealing with political tension in the country.