Tens of thousands march in France against the far right

Tens of thousands of people gathered in the streets of France this Saturday to express their rejection and fear at the possibility of the far-right coming to power in the country. The call for this demonstration comes amid a political crisis triggered by the surprising early legislative elections announced by centrist President Emmanuel Macron following the victory of the far-right National Rally (RN) in the European elections. Among the protesters was Florence David, a 60-year-old woman, who expressed her concern by stating: "I never thought I would see the far-right come to power, but now it could happen." This feeling of uncertainty and fear has spread throughout the French population, given the rise of far-right political forces in Europe and the current context in which the country finds itself. The early legislative elections have been considered by political analysts as a risky move by Macron, at a time when the far-right has managed to establish itself as a relevant force in the European political landscape. The possibility of a victory for the far-right party has led to calls for mobilization by unions and public figures, with the aim of preventing this situation from materializing. In the words of French forward Marcus Thuram, it is essential that citizens mobilize and fight daily to prevent the RN from winning the upcoming elections. The leader of the CFDT union, Marylise Léon, warns that democracy in France is at a turning point and action is necessary to preserve it. During the demonstration in Paris, the protesters expressed their defense of democracy, the rights of foreigners, and the LGBTQ+ community in response to the fear of a possible advance by the far-right. Recent history in France has been marked by massive mobilizations against the far-right, such as the one in 2002 when a million people took to the streets to reject far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. Despite Marine Le Pen's efforts to moderate the image of the far-right party, concern persists in French society over the advance of these political currents. According to recent polls, the RN would obtain 29.5% of the vote intention, making it the main rival of the left-wing coalition New Popular Front. The political landscape in France has been shaken by the early elections, generating divisions within both the conservative party The Republicans and the left-wing coalition, where France Unbowed has caused controversy by sidelining critical deputies and presenting new candidacies. The unexpected candidacy of former socialist President François Hollande in the legislative elections adds more tension to the French political scene, where a reconfiguration of political forces and a power struggle in parliament is expected. Although these elections do not directly affect Macron's mandate, the president could face the need to share power with a government of a different political orientation, which could change the course of French politics in the coming years.