Hundreds of Thousands Across France Tell Hollande: "Return to the Left" [View all]

[marmar]

Published on Sunday, May 5, 2013 by Common Dreams

Hundreds of Thousands Across France Tell Hollande: "Return to the Left"
Thousands march across France to protest "wrong direction" of Socialist leader

- Jon Queally, staff writer


[font size="1"]Demonstrators numbering in the many tens of thousands call for an "insurgency" to "put an end to the policies of austerity." (Photo: AFP)[/font]


Though always estimated by true progressives in France as more of a centrist, the presidential victory of Francois Hollande one year ago was largely celebrated as victory for the nation's Left movement.

Hollande's defeat of Nicholas Sarkozy was seen as a hopeful sign in the fight against rightwing policies, the dominance of austerity and the nation's economic elite.

But one year later, nearly 200,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Paris on Sunday to berate Hollande for his betrayal of the people.

The Associated Press reports:

Tens of thousands of supporters of leftist parties are marching through central Paris to express disappointment with President Francois Hollande's first year in power, criticizing the leader for reneging on his promises to rein in the world of finance and enact economic stimulus.

Hollande, a Socialist, won the presidency last May, promising to spare France the austerity measures enacted elsewhere in Europe. He has raised taxes, especially on the rich, and made limited cuts to spending.

France's economy has continued to deteriorate, with growth stagnating and unemployment rising well above 10 percent. Hollande now has the lowest popularity rating of any post-war president.

Supporters of French leftist parties, which together call themselves the Left Front, marched through Paris on Sunday to call on Hollande to change his policies.

.......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/05-1