Left-wingers march against austerity
A claimed 80,000 took part in a march against France putting the EU fiscal austerity pact into French law
LEFT-WING politicians and unionists organised a march in Paris against the EU fiscal pact, as parliamentary debate opens on its adoption into French law this week.
Front de Gauche leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who estimated 80,000 people took part, said the march was not against President Hollande but aimed at showing him that there is strong opposition to the EU’s “austerity policies” which will oblige France to respect tough deficit limits.
“For Hollande the treaty was just a formality, it was done and dusted. Now he’s going to have to realise that in France, as in the rest of Europe, there is organised opposition to it,” said Mélenchon.
He was joined at the head of the march by the leader of the Parti Communiste Français; former Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste presidential candidates and representatives of the union Solidaire and of Attac, an “altermondialist” group favouring taxation of financial transactions.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said at the weekend approving the pact was “essential” and that he and Hollande “will never take responsibility for making the Euro disappear”.
Photo:Screenshot from TF1
