Anti-racism groups joined French unions and a new left-wing coalition in protests across France against the growing nationalist far-right as a frenetic campaign takes place ahead of snap parliamentary elections.
Around 21,000 police and gendarmes were deployed to Saturday's demonstrations and authorities expect between 300,000 and 500,000 protesters across the country, France's Interior Ministry said.
In Paris, those who feared the election would form the first far-right government in France since World War II gathered in the Place de la République before marching.
Crowds have been gathering daily in France, since the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) made historic gains in the European Parliament elections last Sunday. This led Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call early legislative elections, which would be held in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.
A large crowd turned out on Saturday, despite the rainy and windy weather, with signs that read “Liberty for all, Equality for all and Fraternity with all” – a reference to France's national motto – as well as “Let's break borders, documents for everyone, No to the immigration bill.”
Speaking from Place de la République, far-left CGT union leader Sophie Binet told reporters: “We are marching because we are extremely concerned [RN’s leader] “Jordan Bardella could become the next prime minister… We want to avoid this disaster.”
'Fear-based ideology'
Among the protesters in Paris, some also chanted “Free Palestine, long live Palestine” and wore Palestinian keffiyeh scarves.
Among them was Nour Cekar, a 16-year-old high school student of French and Algerian parents, who wears a hijab.
“For me, the extreme right is a danger because it supports an ideology based on fear of the other, while we are all French citizens despite our differences,” he said.
Cekar added that he will vote for the left coalition because “it is the only political coalition [entity] that addresses racism and Islamophobia.”
Meanwhile, in the French Riviera city of Nice, protesters marched down Avenue Jean Medecin, the city's main shopping street, chanting against the National Rally and its leader Bardella, 28, as well as against the president. Emmanuel Macron.
Protest organizers said 3,000 people participated, while police estimated the number at 2,500.
Nice is traditionally a conservative stronghold but, over the past decade, it has tilted firmly in favor of the National Rally of Marine Le Pen and her far-right rival Eric Zemmour.
Big bet for Macron
Al Jazeera's Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris, noted that the French president's call for elections took everyone, including his own ministers, by surprise.
“Macron says that he called these elections because he listened to the voice of the people, of the voters. He said that he watched the EU elections that took place and saw that people are unhappy with his policies in this government. Therefore, he says that he has given the choice back to the people.”
The measure is a huge bet, he said. “People are here to say they fear the far right who would destroy France's values of rights, freedom and equality.”
To prevent the National Rally party from winning the upcoming elections, leftist parties finally agreed on Friday to put aside differences over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and form a coalition. They urged French citizens to defeat the far right.
French opinion polls suggest the National Rally is expected to lead in the first round of parliamentary elections. The party emerged victorious in last week's European elections, winning more than 30 percent of the votes cast in France, almost twice as many votes as Macron's Renaissance party.
Macron's term still lasts three more years and he would retain control of foreign affairs and defense regardless of the outcome. But his presidency would be weakened if he wins the National Rally, which could put Bardella on track to become the next prime minister, with authority over domestic and economic affairs.
French voters go to the polls first on June 30 and again on July 7.
