La Nupes organizes its “march against the high cost of living”, hoping to stimulate social protest

Sandwiched between the two union demonstrations, the left united in the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) is organizing, on Sunday October 16, in Paris, its “march against the high cost of living and climate inaction” with the support of associations and certain union federations, hoping to contribute to the social boiling of the fall.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon had launched this idea of ​​a march in July, believing that the left should stimulate social protest against the government by associating with the unions, but they did not wait for him to raise the temperature.

Indeed, the march occurs in the midst of a strike in the refineries of TotalEnergies, which leads to fuel shortages. And after the mobilization of September 29, another interprofessional day was launched for Tuesday October 18 by the CGT, with FO, Solidaires, FSU as well as youth movements.

Philippe Martinez: “We should not do things in parallel”

The boss of the powerful confederation, Philippe Martinez, has little taste for the initiative of the left: “The unions must be supported and we must not do things in parallel”, he said on Friday. The organizers of the ” walking “ believe, however, that their parade will be complementary to the efforts of the CGT. Thus the deputy LFI Aurélie Trouvou, kingpin of the event, anticipates: “From experience, there are people at a demonstration when there is an insurrectional climate. »

Although Jean-Luc Mélenchon, despite his pressure, had to give up on the call for a joint demonstration by the trade union confederations, certain federations such as the CGT Commerce and the CGT Energie Ile-de-France will be there. A CGT delegate from the striking refinery in Port-Jérôme-Gravenchon, Normandy, Germinal Lancelin, will take part in the meeting.

30,000 demonstrators are expected

According to this former Attac spokesperson, a hundred buses were chartered to Paris, more than for the march of candidate Mélenchon, which had attracted tens of thousands of people last spring.

30,000 demonstrators are expected by the police. These, however, feed “real fears” face “to the arrival of violent people from the ultra-left, ultra “yellow vests” who would like to disrupt the demonstration”. The prospect annoys Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who asked Agence France-Presse: “How many times are we going to have to put up with people being afraid to go to a demonstration? » But he was also delighted that the demonstration allowed the Nupes “to get back on the horse”after the painful Quatennens and Bayou cases.

If the coalition continues to experience some dissension, its components (La France insoumise, the Socialist Party, Europe Ecologie-Les Verts and the French Communist Party) will all parade in the procession, which will set off at 2 p.m. from Nation to the Bastille. The leader of the Communists, Fabien Roussel, and the former environmentalist presidential candidate Yannick Jadot, skeptical about the Nupes, however indicated that they had better things to do.

#DemainJeMarche against expensive living, climate inaction, for pensions and higher wages! All… https://t.co/5K64FIyE0T

– FranceInsoumise (@La France insoumise)

The first secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure, was critical of Mr. Mélenchon’s comparison of the march to an episode of the French Revolution. But he will be present and will speak during a “meeting while walking”on the truck at the head of the procession, as well as Léa Balage El-Mariky for EELV, Ian Brossat for the PCF and… Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

The procession will include five claim spaces: retirement at 60 and salary increase; autonomy allowance of 1,100 euros for young people; price freeze; taxation of superprofits; ecological bifurcation.

“The rise in prices is unbearable: it is the greatest loss of purchasing power for forty yearsdenounced LFI MEP Manon Aubry on Saturday. It is time for the billions that accumulate at the top of the big boxes to be redistributed to those who work hard. »