More than 350,000 people protest in France against the rise of the extreme right

France faces a new wave of protests, this time against the far-right National Rally (RN), in view of the upcoming elections to the French parliament. Following the rise of the RN in the European elections last Sunday, the police predicted that 350,000 people They would take to the streets.

They expected at least 150 gears in cities such as Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon and Lille. In the capital, up to 100,000 people. Police mobilized 21,000 officers after unions, student groups and human rights groups announced protests.

Far-left CGT union leader Sophie Binet told reporters at the Place de La Republique: “We are marching because we are extremely worried that (RN leader) Jordan Bardella could become the next Prime Minister. We want to avoid this disaster“.

Carol-Ann Juste, a 22-year-old student who participated in the Paris march, said it was the first time she had participated in a protest. She said she was “worried because people believe the lies of this party that has a truly racist heritage“, in reference to the National Front, precursor of the RN.

Juste said he wanted to “fight to preserve a country of human rights, freedom and tolerance.”

At the same march, Cecilia Lormeau, a 34-year-old teacher, said she plans to vote for the Popular Front –a alliance of left-wing parties He said: “It is important to show that we are mobilized and that the RN is not the majority of the people.”

President Emmanuel Macron called early elections, to be held in two rounds on June 30 and July 7, after its centrist alliance was defeated by the RN in last Sunday’s European Parliament vote. A first series of surveys of opinion projected that the RN could win the elections and be in good conditionform the next government.