French Interior Minister Orders ‘Utmost Firmness’ Ahead of Planned Nationwide Shutdown
Paris, The Gulf Observer: France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on Friday said he did not expect a “large-scale” response to calls for nationwide protests next week, but instructed police to act with “the utmost firmness” in the event of disorder.
The warning comes as a viral campaign urges French citizens to stage a nationwide “shutdown” on Wednesday, two days after Prime Minister François Bayrou’s government faces a confidence vote in parliament over a contentious austerity budget.
“I don’t believe there will be any large-scale movements,” Retailleau said, while noting that the campaign — branded ‘Let’s block everything’ — has received support from hard-left groups and some trade unions. “Given the nature of these movements and their radicalism, there may be some spectacular actions,” he added.
Organizers have floated tactics ranging from street demonstrations to civil disobedience, including blocking train stations and picketing oil refineries. Intelligence officials have cautioned that the decentralized structure of the movement makes its scale and impact difficult to predict, prompting authorities to prepare for multiple scenarios.
In a telegram to prefects dated Thursday, Retailleau ordered full police mobilization to “manage this crisis,” stressing that “blocking everything is worse than anything else. The country doesn’t need to be blocked.” He further directed that schools, universities, and landmark buildings must be safeguarded from potential unrest.
The unrest comes amid mounting frustration among citizens over rising living costs, crime, and political gridlock. Bayrou’s government is widely expected to lose Monday’s confidence vote, which would mark another setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who is now on his sixth prime minister since taking office in 2017.
Many citizens expressing support for next week’s actions said they were angered by Bayrou’s policy proposals, including a plan to abolish two public holidays, and demanded greater public participation in decision-making. “Taxes on the rich are never voted in, while we are asked to tighten our belts,” said Chloe Souske, 35, from Monterfil in northwestern France. Benjamin Ball, 41, from Argenteuil near Paris, added, “A gap has opened up with the political elite who work for billionaires.”
Separately, French trade unions have announced nationwide protests for September 18 against what they have called the government’s “horror show” draft budget.
