French protest austerity measures, EU fiscal pact

Chanting 'resistance', demonstrators took to the streets of Paris on the 30 September 2012 to protest against austerity policies and the EU's new budget treaty, in the first major demonstration since President François Hollande took power in June 2012.

The EU fiscal treaty requires governments to commit to stricter economic practices. The march was the latest in a string of anti-austerity rallies across Europe following similar protests in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.

The march in Paris was organised by the Left Front coalition and drew trade unionists, far-left sympathisers and other opponents of the EU accord, two days before lawmakers started to debate a draft law of the budget pact in the lower house of the French parliament.

• Primary Source

France24, 1.10.12: Thousands march in Paris against 'austerity' http://www.france24.com/en/20120930-france-paris-thousands-march-austerity-economic-crisis-eu-fiscal-treaty-hollande-protest

ESO: Background information: French government unveils tax-and-slash 2013 budget http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-government-unveils-tax-and-slash-2013-budget/

ESO: Background information: France readies EU fiscal pact for ratification amid backbench rebellion http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-readies-eu-fiscal-pact-for-ratification-amid-backbench-rebellion/

EUObserver, 1.10.12: Thousands protest against French austerity budget http://euobserver.com/news/117711

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