French Protests Shrink as Mélenchon Pushes ‘New Collectivism’ at Paris Rally
Police made 232 arrests in several cities, while the far-left leader unveiled a program calling for a 'new collectivism' and hostility to Washington.
TL;DR
- Nationwide turnout for Saturday demonstrations fell to 146,000 people on November 7.
- This is a decrease from previous weeks, with turnout on October 31 at 320,000, October 24 at 410,000, and October 17 at 550,000.
- Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon held a rally at an exhibition center north of Paris, attracting over 20,000 supporters.
- Mélenchon presented his France Unbowed platform for the 2027 presidential election.
- The coalition of left-wing youth unions reported higher figures, stating 250,000 participants nationwide, including 75,000 in Paris.
- One demonstrator mentioned that many friends attended the France Unbowed rally instead of the protest.