A few thousand people demonstrated against the far right this Sunday, June 23 at noon in the streets of Le Mans, in Sarthe, and in particular feminist associations. They hope for a democratic surge at the polls next Sunday, for the first round of early legislative elections.
In the streets of Le Mans, young people are making their voices heard against the far right, at the call of the Sarthe inter-union (CGT, FSU, Solidaires and CNT) and the united feminist collective 72. On June 9, however, a quarter of 18-24 year olds voted for Jordan Bardella’s RN (National Rally) list in the European elections.
One week before the legislative elections, around a thousand people demonstrated against the far-right this Sunday, June 23 in the streets of Le Mans, in Sarthe, and in particular feminist associations.
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© Laurine VELAY / France 3 Pays de la Loire
“It seems that young people have just forgotten history”, exclaims a young protester, speaking to our journalist Yann Ledos. “Just talk to our parents who experienced 2002 or our grandparents who lived through the Second World War. We have the impression that it’s cyclical, that people are withdrawing into themselves again.”
The slogans “We are Women, anti-fascists, feminists and angry” resonates in the procession tinged with purple, the favorite color of feminist associations, very present at this gathering.
One week before the legislative elections, around a thousand people demonstrated against the far-right this Sunday, June 23 in the streets of Le Mans, in Sarthe, and in particular feminist associations.
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© Laurine VELAY / France 3 Pays de la Loire
“There should be more women on the streets today, exclaims a participant of a certain age. That can be understood, it’s Sunday, it’s often the day when they go shopping or take care of domestic chores.” According to the Observatory of Inequalities, 80% of women cook or clean for at least an hour every day, compared to 36% of men. Since 2003, the evolution of task sharing in the private sphere has changed very little.
“What worries me is the questioning of the right to abortion or even the cessation of public subsidies to associations which support women victims of violence, on which they are very dependent”she adds. During the debates in the National Assembly last March on the inclusion in the French constitution of the right to abortionthe RN was the most divided political party in the chamber on the issue. In addition, the far-right party had opposite in February 2022 has l’extension of the period from twelve to fourteen weeks pregnancy to abort.
Some demonstrators summarize these upcoming elections as a societal choice between two models: that of solidarity or that of exclusion. For them, the key to the election will come from the ability to convince abstainers to return to the polling stations.
Everything is called into question with the accession to power of such an extreme party…
“It worries me a lot to see that so many people say they don’t feel concerned, or are in favor of a society in which everyone fends for themselves and where the dominant are in the spotlight, laments a protester. This is why mobilizations are important, because we have to show people that it is not trivial to abstain. This amounts to consent to what is going to happen.”
One week before the legislative elections, around a thousand people demonstrated against the far-right this Sunday, June 23 in the streets of Le Mans, in Sarthe, and in particular feminist associations.
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© Laurine VELAY / France 3 Pays de la Loire
An awareness that does not seem to be shared by everyone. If forecasts are based on an increase in the participation rate in the next elections, a poll, published this morning, still credits the RN with 36% of voting intentions, compared to 33% last Friday. He could thus achieve for the first time a relative majority in the National Assembly, or even an absolute majority.
