Large protests took place across France on Saturday over the appointment earlier in the day of a right-leaning government. Thousands marched in Paris, denouncing President Emmanuel Macron and his new conservative prime minister, Michel Barnier, claiming they had disregarded the results of the July parliamentary election.
The vote left France deadlocked and with a hung parliament consisting of three roughly equal blocs – the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance, the center, headed by Macron’s Renaissance party, and the far-right National Rally. Although no party won a majority, the NFP coalition secured the most seats, which was seen as providing a mandate to present its candidate for prime minister.