Tens of thousands of sympathizers of the radical left gathered today in Paris to protest the "broken promises" of the French socialists, one year after the arrival of President Francois Hollande at the head of the country.
They criticized the French president for failing to keep promises to rein in the world of finance and introduce stimulus for the faltering economy.
Supporters of the Left Front, led by radical left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, organized a "citizen's walk" in Paris today to call on Hollande to change his policies.
In recent months, with the worsening economic situation, Mélenchon has concentrated his attacks on the socialist government to the extent that the socialists no longer consider the radical left as their ally.
Mélenchon again criticized President Francois Hollande and told him that the "trial period" was over.
"If you don't know how to work - we do," said Melanchon, who was a presidential candidate in last year's elections and accused Hollande of constantly breaking his promises.
The first president of the left since François Mitterrand (1981-95), the socialist Francois Hollande, will mark exactly one year tomorrow, May 6, since he defeated his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy in the elections. A year later, he is at the head of a country that is on the brink of recession.
Hollande won elections last May on a promise to spare France the austerity measures being implemented elsewhere in Europe. He raised taxes, especially on the wealthy, and limited spending.
However, the state of the French economy continues to deteriorate, economic growth stagnates and unemployment rose to 11 percent in March, with a tendency for further growth.
Hollande has the lowest popularity rating of any post-war president. With two-thirds of the French saying they are dissatisfied with him, Hollande has become the most unpopular president at the end of his first year in office.
At the same time, opponents of gay marriage organized parallel protests today in Paris and in several large cities in France, even though the law legalizing gay marriage was definitely adopted in Parliament and two-thirds of the French are against continuing to challenge it.
The organizers of the "demonstration for all" do not want to admit defeat, even though the first homosexual couples can be expected as early as June.
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