France and Nepal

 

American singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman sang ‘Talkin' 'bout a revolution... people gonna rise up.’ Turmoil is occurring in both In France and Nepal but in both cases it’s certainly not a rising up that will instigate a revolution leading to the replacement of capitalism with socialism. The French Trades Union representative is incorrect, it’s not President Macron is just the problem, it’s the exploitative social system which puts surplus value and war profits before all else.

‘Hundreds have been arrested in France as riot police clashed with demonstrators, who vowed to “block everything” nationwide amid rising discontent with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

Around 175,000 people took part in the protests on 10 September across Paris and other cities, including Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Lyon, the Interior Ministry said. Officials reported 473 arrests nationwide, while security services logged over 800 protest actions and hundreds of fires and blockades of roads and buildings.

The demonstrations were called under the slogan ‘Bloquons Tout’, or ‘Let’s block everything’ – signalling an intent to strike, block roads, and disrupt public services in opposition to proposed austerity measures. Over 80,000 police officers were deployed to swiftly dismantle barricades and clear blockades.

In Paris, police fired tear gas outside Gare du Nord train station, where around a thousand protesters gathered, some holding signs declaring Wednesday a ‘public holiday’. In Nantes, demonstrators set tires and bins ablaze to block a highway before being dispersed with gas. In Montpellier, scuffles erupted as protesters erected barricades, with one banner demanding ‘Macron resign’.

Protesters attempted to start a blockade in Bordeaux, while in Toulouse a fire briefly disrupted train services before being extinguished. Some 400 people stormed the Gare de Lyon station in Paris.

The rallies come as France grapples with a spiralling budget deficit that hit 5.8% of GDP in 2024 – almost double the EU 3% ceiling. The unrest recalls the Yellow Vest revolt that erupted over fuel taxes and economic inequality in Macron’s first term. It follows Monday’s no-confidence vote that forced out Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, clearing the way for Sebastien Lecornu to become the country’s fourth premier in a year.

Bayrou’s austerity plan – scrapping public holidays, cutting public jobs and freezing welfare payments while boosting military spending – has sparked fierce backlash.

“It’s the same shit… it’s Macron who’s the problem, not the ministers,” a CGT transport union representative told Reuters. “It’s more Macron and his way of working, which means he has to go.”

Polls show Macron’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest since 2017, with eight in ten French saying they no longer trust him.’

The protests in Nepal were occasioned by the banning by the Nepalese government of twenty six social media platforms. This was seen as an attack on free speech and political dissent. The demonstrations escalated into a protest against government corruption and the behaviour of elites. Economic inequality is also a consideration in the actions of those demanding change.

The change being sought, the installation of new ‘leaders’, will not alleviate the problems inherent in a global social system that exploits and controls the majority for the benefit of a minority.

‘The youth leaders of Nepal’s protest movement have proposed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to serve as the country’s interim prime minister, Reuters reported on 10 September citing the secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

The decision followed a nearly four-hour virtual meeting in which between 300 and 400 participants of the protest movement took part, according to local media.

Karki, 73, is the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal and the only woman to have held the post.

Speaking to India-based CNN News18, Karki said the immediate focus of the interim government would be to honour those who died in the protests and address the protesters’ demands, including tackling corruption.

The development comes after K.P. Sharma Oli resigned as prime minister on Tuesday amidst violent protests across the Himalayan nation. During the two-day demonstrations, hundreds of protesters stormed the Prime Minister’s Office, set fire to the Supreme Court and Parliament buildings, and vandalised the homes of several senior leaders.

The Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal on 10 September stated that the death toll has risen to 30. According to the ministry, 1,033 people were injured during the nationwide protests. 

Authorities in Kathmandu said anarchists and criminal elements had infiltrated the protests, engaging in arson, looting, property destruction, targeted violence, and attempted sexual assault. “Any criminal activities carried out under the guise of protest will be prosecuted, and security forces will take strong action against offenders,” the Nepalese Army said in a statement.

Meanwhile, young volunteers took to the streets on 10 September for a clean up campaign – hours before the army’s curfew announcement, local media reported. The clean ups are being organised and promoted via online platforms.

During the curfew, only essential vehicles – such as ambulances, hearses, fire engines, and those used by health workers and security personnel – will be permitted. The army urged citizens needing assistance to coordinate with local security officials.’