The Japan Times - 'Block everything': France faces disruption as new PM starts job

The protests, led by a loose left-wing collective called "Block Everything", are a baptism of fire for Lecornu, 39, a close ally of Macron who has served the last three years as defence minister.

Demonstrators gathered across the country from the early hours, with 80,000 police deployed to keep the peace.

Groups of demonstrators, many masked, built barricades with dumpsters and pelted police with rubbish on the outskirts of Paris, according to AFP journalists.

In the southeastern city of Lyon, protesters blocked a highway running through the city and set bins on fire, while in the western city of Nantes police used teargas to disperse protesters.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned demonstrators that there would be "zero tolerance" concerning violent actions or blockages of key sites.

- 'Slap in the face' -

Macron's decision to name a close ally as prime minister "is a a slap in the face", said a protester in Lyon who gave only his first name, Florent.

"We are tired of his successive governments, we need change," he said.

Macron appointed Lecornu late Tuesday, a day after his predecessor Francois Bayrou lost a confidence vote in parliament, forcing him and his government to resign.

Bayrou stumbled over his attempt to implement a package of austerity measures aimed at reducing France's debt. It remains unclear what compromises Lecornu has in mind to push the budget through.

The formal handover of power between Bayrou and Lecornu is due to take place on Wednesday at midday (1000 GMT).

"The president is convinced that (under Lecornu) an agreement between the political forces is possible, while respecting the convictions of everyone," said the French presidency.

Macron, who has been leading diplomatic efforts internationally to end Russia's war on Ukraine, had faced one of the most critical domestic decisions of his presidency over who to appoint as premier.

- 'Unity of the country' -

Lecornu is seen as a discreet but highly skilled operator.

He had been tipped to take the premier job in December but in the end Bayrou reportedly strong-armed the president into giving him a chance.

He becomes the seventh prime minister since Macron took office in 2017, the fifth since his second mandate began in 2022 and the third within the space of the year.

His first challenge will be to give France a budget for 2026 without suffering the same fate as Bayrou, who lasted just nine months, and then to go on to serve Macron until his presidency ends in 2027.

Lecornu vowed on X that his government would work for "political and institutional stability for the unity of the country".

The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party meanwhile said Wednesday it would bring a no-confidence motion against Lecornu in parliament.

Wednesday's actions have had minimal involvement by trade unions, most of whom are planning their own day of widespread strikes and protests on September 18.

While high-speed trains were running normally, as were most Paris metro trains, regional and suburban rail services as well as access to airports across the country and flight schedules were disrupted, including at Paris's main airports Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly.

The decentralised nature of Wednesday's protests, set to flare up even in the countryside and small towns, is reminiscent of the 2018 Yellow Vest movement that, without a clear political leadership, became a major test for Macron during his first term in office.

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said he suspected the "radical left" was running the protests, organising "spectacular actions", but without the backing of "civil society".

Bayrou had insisted 44 billion euros ($52 billion) of spending cuts were needed to rein in France's debt and stabilise the public finances.

Opponents accused him of trying to achieve this at the expense of wage earners and pensioners while sparing the country's wealthy from similar sacrifices.

K.Nakajima--JT