By Abayomi Azikiwe
France is grappling with a severe crisis in governance as repeated failures to address national problems have hampered its ability to address the burgeoning budget deficit.
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou lost a vote of no-confidence after he submitted a budget proposal that would have imposed severe austerity measures on working people in this European Union (EU) state.
Bayrou was the fourth prime minister to hold office in France in less than two years. The political instability inside the country is closely tied to the declining economic situation and the pressures being exerted on Paris from the EU and the United States which requires greater expenditures on military affairs.
In addition, the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine is compelling the EU countries to impose unsustainable sanctions against Moscow which have only resulted in further economic difficulties. Despite the unprecedented levels of sanctions against the Russian Federation, their economy has grown stronger.
The emergence of multilateral formations such as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Plus and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are clearly exposing the declining economic and diplomatic influence of the western imperialist states. Growth rates in the People’s Republic of China have long outstripped those in the NATO countries.
Commemorations recently held in Beijing honoring the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Japanese aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War attracted international leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The grand parade and display of military and economic prowess served as a warning to the imperialist states that their threats will not intimidate the peoples of the Global South.
France has come under fire in various West African states where their military forces have been expelled. In Niger, one of the largest producers of uranium around the globe where France had controlled the production and distribution of this strategic metal, the current CNSP government is in the process of restructuring the industry.
All of these variables are impacting the economic situation in France. Rates of unemployment and poverty are rising throughout the country.
In a recent report by Le Monde on the economic situation in France, it notes that:
“Every year for nearly three decades, France’s statistics bureau, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), has measured poverty and inequality among the population of mainland France living in regular housing. Indicators reached unprecedented levels in 2023, according to figures published Monday, July 7: Around 9.8 million people were living below the monetary poverty threshold, which is set at 60% of the median monthly income, or €1,288 for a single person.”
These indices are being replicated throughout the EU and the United Kingdom. While the demands from the administration of President Donald Trump to spend more on offensive weaponry increase, the social conditions of workers and the poor are worsening.
Changes in the pension system in France drew massive protests and strikes during 2023 when the government forced through changes which require longer years of work in order to qualify for full benefits. These strike actions were followed by nationwide rebellions in response to the police execution of a young person of North African descent.
During 2024, work stoppages by sanitation workers created a public health crisis. Leading up to the Olympics which were held in Paris, thousands of tons of garbage had to be cleared by contractors from the streets of urban areas.
This same article quoted above goes on to say:
“Around 650,000 people fell into poverty in 2024, the largest increase since the current method of calculation was introduced in 1996. The poverty rate reached 15.4%, up from 14.4% in 2022, marking both a record level and a record jump. Inequality also rose: The wealthiest 20% had incomes 4.5 times higher than the poorest 20%, a historic gap for the past 30 years. The Gini coefficient, another measure of inequality, is now close to its maximum, which was reached in 2011.”
Macron is faced with some monumental decisions related to the political future of the Fifth Republic. Does he call for elections where the outcomes are not clear? Or will the French president attempt to remain in office absent of an electoral mandate?
Political Balances of Forces Does Not Bode Well for Social Stability
Inside the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, there are three major blocs which are vying for political dominance. Macron leads the Center-Right Coalition which is an eclectic alliance of neo-liberal and conservative political forces which have declined in popularity.
Coming out of the July 2024 snap elections, the New Popular Front (NFP) won the largest bloc of votes. The NFP is composed of France Unbound (FT); the Socialist Party (PS), the Greens (LE) and the Communist Party (PCF).
Despite receiving the largest number of votes for the National Assembly, the NFP was completely ignored in the appointment of a prime minister. Its leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon, has taken positions which called for the increased taxation of the ruling class, the restoration of pension benefits and solidarity with the Palestinians. Melenchon generated controversy in France when he described Hamas as a legitimate resistance group to Israeli aggression.
The most concerning of French political parties is the National Rally, a far-right neo-fascist grouping which has taken a strong anti-immigration stance. It is advancing the notion of “preference” for French nationals in jobs and other economic opportunities. The actions of the far right within the National Assembly have been highly disruptive and pose a threat to the well-being of workers and people of color in France.
This political quagmire has hampered the capacity of the National Assembly to pass the most recent budget proposals which resulted in the vote of no-confidence against Francois Bayrou. If Macron calls for elections, the country could very well be plunged into another round of mass demonstrations and violent upheaval.
International Implications for the French Crisis of Governance
What is taking place in France has serious implications for other imperialist states in Western Europe and North America. The rapid move towards the right politically is creating an atmosphere of greater insecurity for the working class and oppressed peoples living on the mainland and in the colonies.
Unrest has erupted over the last two years in the so-called “French Overseas Territories” such as New Caledonia, Martinique and Mayotte. The capacity of Paris to manage their affairs domestically and internationally is rapidly eroding. Economic prospects for growth remain dim as threats of imperialist war and internal unrest are looming.
Nonetheless, the unions and youth have embarked upon another round of strikes and mass demonstrations against the burgeoning impoverishment. On September 18, workers within various sectors announced walkouts and marches demanding an end to the ruling class-imposed crisis.
Le Monde reported on these developments on September 17, writing in an article which says:
“More than 250 demonstrations have been declared across France for Thursday, September 18, in response to a cross-industry union call to protest the austerity budget announced in the summer by recently ousted prime minister François Bayrou. His successor, Sébastien Lecornu, has not yet announced changes to the measures. All the labor unions have unanimously judged them to be ‘brutal,’ and denounced them as choosing ‘to make workers, people in precarious situations, retirees and the sick pay the price once again’.”
Trade unions and organizations representing youth and oppressed peoples in the U.S. should take note of the situation in France, Britain and other European states. The right-wing propaganda and psychological warfare being waged by the Trump wing of the ruling class is exposing its divergence from material reality.
Unemployment and poverty are increasing in the U.S. as the impact of the current economic and political policies prove disastrous. These declining economic conditions will require a political orientation towards the defeat of creeping fascism and the necessity for the empowerment of the proletariat and the nationally oppressed.
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