September 15, 2025 editorial of the New Anticapitalist Party-Revolutionaries (NPA-R) in France, translated from French
On September 10, hundreds of thousands of us took part in blockades, rallies, and demonstrations. Neither Home Minister Retailleau’s 80,000 police officers nor [new Prime Minister] Lecornu’s express appointment after Prime Minister Bayrou’s resignation defused the anger—quite the contrary.
September 10: a very good start!
Thousands of workers and young people went on strike in the health and education sectors, in the railway sector, and also in small businesses, without waiting for instructions from the unions.
Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across the country, and thousands gathered in assemblies in public squares to discuss the next steps. Everywhere, young people also joined the demonstrations. At least 150 high schools were blocked, and, if the campuses remained calm, it was because the university year had not yet begun. A disobedient and spontaneous youth is a force to be reckoned with. It is alongside them that we must fight.
On Saturday the 13th, demonstrations also took place. This is a movement that is emerging from below, expressing the deep anger of the working classes.
Ministers come and go, but the program remains
Bosses expect Lecornu to continue the policies of his predecessors, making us pay for the “debt” by cutting thousands of public sector jobs, freezing wages, slashing hospital budgets, and reducing reimbursements for drugs and healthcare… Meanwhile, bosses pocket $211 billion a year in subsidies and tax breaks—even $270 billion according to a recently published book—and the explosion in the military budget benefits [war industries] Dassault, Safran, Thales, and others.
Even with a few “concessions” to buy the support of a Socialist Party that couldn’t ask for anything better—such as the announcement this weekend that they will not be stealing two public holidays from us—this is a budget for social war and war itself… led by the former Minister of the Armed Forces, how symbolic!
Nothing to expect from a new electoral lottery
The entire political world is buzzing with excitement at the prospect of new elections. On the right, the most anti-worker party, the RN (extreme right National Rally}, whose leaders frequently visit and appreciate Lecornu, is calling for new legislative elections to save face, hoping to gain more seats and get into power, so they can attack public services, immigrant workers, and then all workers even more.
On the left, the PS (Socialist Party), PCF (Communist Party) and Greens are entering into negotiations with a view to possibly supporting the government, subject to “conditions.” What a joke!
La France Insoumise (reformist left) is calling for a “blockade of the country” to push for Macron’s “impeachment.” But this is yet another way of diverting anger towards electoral and institutional solutions. Another government, with or without Macron, leaving those who exploit us in power, will bring nothing good for the working class and youth.
Everyone on strike on the 18th; let’s spread the strikes!
To impose a different policy, we can only count on ourselves. We will have to bring the country to a standstill, and the most effective way to do that is to strike! If workers stop working, nothing will function and the profit machine will grind to a halt. It is through strikes that we can challenge the minority of exploiters who make all the decisions for us. It is through strikes that we can eliminate employer policies and, with them, the entire capitalist society, which brings only misery and war, exploitation, oppression, and racism.
So let’s strike on the 18th… and beyond! Let’s take to the streets en masse so that everyone can see our strength. Let’s discuss among ourselves in the workshops and offices, before and after the demonstrations, in order to organize at the grassroots level and decide for ourselves how to fight, without relying on politicians and union bureaucracies.
