France has entered into a new phase of struggle as President Emmanuel Macron approaches a major showdown with public sector workers. The country is convulsed by a series of strikes, demonstrations and confrontations between the masses and the state authorities.

The latest issue of Révolution (French organ of the IMT) will be published in the wake of a social movement that could mark a turning point in the correlation of forces between our camp (the youth and workers) and the bosses, of which Macron’s government is the executive body. A rail strike, starting from 3 April, will be the focal point of the struggle. But, both for us and for our enemies, the significance of this strike goes beyond the fate of the SNCF [Société nationale des chemins de fer français: France’s national state-owned railway company] and its employees.

Following amendments to the labour code (adopted in September 2017) that made it easier to fire workers, Macron’s government is now lashing out at the unemployed with a counter-reform to the unemployment insurance system. ‘Negotiations’ with the trade unions should conclude in mid-February. The law is scheduled to be adopted this summer.

Laurent Wauquiez was elected leader of The Republicans (Les Républicains,LR) on 10 December, by a wide margin (74.6 percent) in the first round of voting. The low voter turnout (42 percent of paying members) shows that the stakes were limited: the new shift to the right had already been acknowledged by the party’s rank and file.

On 23 September, Mélenchon’s France Insoumise (Rebellious France) organised a massive rally of over 100,000 in Paris against the austerity programme of the Emmanuel Macron government. Jérôme Métellus, editor of Révolution (the journal of the IMT in France), outlines what the Left and the Trade Unions in France should do next in the struggle to bring down Macron.

Since being elected Macron - the poster-boy of European liberalism and the self-described Jupiterian president - has seen his popularity steadily decline as his electoral facade crumbles away. A majority of French voters (57%) are now “dissatisfied” with the President's performance, making these approval ratings the lowest for any incoming president, after four months, since 1995.

57,4 % des inscrits ne se sont pas rendus aux urnes, hier, pour le deuxième tour des élections législatives (contre 51,3 % au premier tour). Ce n'est pas surprenant : dans bon nombre de circonscriptions, les électeurs n'avaient plus le choix qu'entre « bonnet blanc » et « blanc bonnet », sous diverses étiquettes (LREM, LR ou même PS).

57.4% of the electorate did not go to the polls yesterday in the second round of parliamentary elections (against 51.3% in the first round). Not surprisingly, in many constituencies, voters had only a choice between "tweedledee or tweedledum" under various labels (LREM, LR or even the PS).

Il primo turno delle elezioni legislative si è contraddistinto per un nuovo record d’astensionismo: 51,3 % dell’elettorato (nel 2012 arrivò al 42,8 %). L’ “ondata” della coalizione En Marche/Modem deve dunque essere considerata nella sua giusta dimensione, in quanto gli astenuti sono molto più numerosi degli elettori della “maggioranza presidenziale”.

Le premier tour des législatives a marqué un nouveau record d'abstention à cette élection : 51,3 % (contre 42,8 % en 2012). La « vague » de la coalition En Marche/Modem doit donc être ramenée à sa juste dimension : les abstentionnistes ont été beaucoup plus nombreux que les électeurs de la « majorité présidentielle ».

Yesterday’s first round of the French parliamentary elections marked a new record level of abstentions, 51.3% - compared to 42.8% in 2012. Therefore the so-called "surge" of the Marche/Modem coalition must be viewed for what it really is: those abstaining were far more numerous than those who actually voted for the "Presidential majority".

Na de meest chaotische presidentiële verkiezingen van de Vijfde Republiek, werd een nieuw staatshoofd verkozen. Na de eerste stemronde was de winnaar van de tweede ronde al bekend. Miljoenen linksgezinden hebben voor Macron gestemd enkel om de nederlaag van Le Pen te verzekeren. De fout ligt hier bij vele linkse- en vakbondsleiders die hen geen concreet alternatief boden. De meesten gingen zelfs zo ver dat ze opriepen om voor Macron te stemmen. Desondanks zijn de 20,7 miljoen stemmen voor Macron geen positief politiek signaal. Macron heeft in de tweede ronde veel stemmen gekregen van supporters van Fillon, Hamon en Mélenchon. Zijn steun bestaat uit een mengelmoes van linkse en rechtse

Οι πιο χαώδεις προεδρικές εκλογές της Πέμπτης Δημοκρατίας οδήγησαν στην εκλογή ενός νέου αρχηγού κράτους. Με το τέλος του πρώτου γύρου των εκλογών, ο νικητής του δεύτερου ήταν ήδη γνωστός. Εκατομμύρια αριστεροί ψηφοφόροι ψήφισαν «με μισή καρδιά» Μακρόν, για να ηττηθεί η Μαρίν Λεπέν.

L’elezione presidenziale più caotica della quinta Repubblica ha appena partorito il suo nuovo capo di stato. Alla fine del primo turno conoscevamo già il vincitore del secondo. Milioni di elettori di sinistra si sono fatti violenza da soli e sono andati a votare per Macron in modo da assicurare la sconfitta de Marine Le Pen.

Die chaotischste aller Präsidentschaftswahlen der 5. Republik hat ein neues Staatsoberhaupt hervorgebracht. Bereits bei der Verkündigung der Ergebnisse des ersten Wahlgangs war der Sieger des zweiten Wahlgangs bekannt.