The most significant fact of the first round of the local elections in France was the very high level of abstention (42.4 percent). The politicians who congratulate themselves on an ‘increase in turnout’ compared to the March 2020 election ‘forget’ to mention that the latter was held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In reality, for several decades we have been witnessing a systematic rise in abstention rates: 21.6 percent in 1983, 30.6 percent in 1995, 36.4 percent in 2014 and 42.4 percent this time around.

The imperialist aggression against Iran and Lebanon is provoking outrage among large sections of the youth and the working class worldwide.

Since the death of neo-fascist activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon on 14 February, following a clash between fascist and antifascist groups at a La France Insoumise (LFI) meeting, the right and far right have been trying to exploit the situation to cause maximum damage to LFI. All the bourgeois media are following the government and reactionary politicians in accusing LFI of supporting ‘political violence’. To make the picture complete and more frightening, they add the ritual – and no less absurd – accusation of ‘antisemitism’.

The resistance and liberation of France during the Second World War are among the most remarkable episodes of the French class struggle. The mass mobilisation of the working class opened up the prospect of a revolutionary overthrow of capitalism, which terrified the ruling class.

On 22 and 23 November, more than 110 people gathered in Paris for this year's Revolutionary School to discuss the most urgent problems of our time.

Last week, Sébastien Lecornu resigned as Prime Minister after an unprecedentedly brief stint in power. Just days later, he was reappointed by Macron and tasked with cobbling together a cabinet that could pass his austerity budget.

The planned day of action on 2 October, called by the inter-union committee of trade union confederation leaders, will probably be massive, as so many days of action have been over the last twenty years. During the mass movement against the raising of the retirement age to 64, from January to June 2023, fourteen days of action were organised, some of which mobilised more than 3 million demonstrators. Macron, however, did not budge an inch: the counter-reform was pushed through.

The general strike against the genocide in Gaza on 22 September represented a huge outburst of mass anger which has profound implications beyond the borders of Italy. The idea that mass direct action is needed to stop Israel’s murderous assault on the Palestinians now dominates. At the same time, the Italian mass protest can also be seen as part of a ‘Red September’ of mass uprisings, revolutions and insurrections across the world.

The mobilisation on 18 September was massive. It involved more than a million demonstrators, numerous blockades and many strikes in transport, education and other public sector services. As for the hordes of ‘rioters’ prophesied by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, they did not show up.

Amidst everything on the news last week, from revolutionary events in Indonesia and Nepal, to the shooting of Charlie Kirk, a major political crisis is unravelling in France which has given birth to the Bloquons tout (Block Everything) movement.

Since Sébastien Lecornu's appointment on 9 September, the mainstream media have been singing the same old tune as they did in the early days of Barnier and Bayrou’s premierships: the new Prime Minister is a man of ‘dialogue’ and ‘compromise’, an affable ‘negotiator’ appreciated by the parliamentary opposition – in short, the political equivalent of the ideal son-in-law.

Several hundred thousand people took part in the mobilisation on 10 September. From dawn to dusk, the movement unfolded in various forms: blockades, rallies, demonstrations, pickets and general assemblies. The atmosphere was radical and combative. Young people dominated the marches, especially in the big cities.

François Bayrou's fall was celebrated last night with farewell parties organised in front of a number of town halls. Generally, it was welcomed with satisfaction by millions of young people and workers.

We republish here a translation of an article by Unité CGT – the left wing of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) in France, representing a significant number of its industry federations and Departmental Unions. In it, Unité CGT calls for the workers and their trade union organisations to take up the rallying cry of Bloquons tout! and shut down France on 10 September. They call for this mobilisation to be broadened to include factory occupations and a general strike.

Barring any dramatic developments, the Prime Minister of France Bayrou will fall on 8 September. Only political suicide on the part of the MPs of the Socialist Party could save this deeply unpopular government. For the time being, the leader of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure and his friends are not willing to take this step.