By Rosa Favre and Tamara Madrid
Automatically translated by AI.
As expected, the government of François Bayrou fell on September 8 after a vote in the National Assembly, victim of another failed maneuver of which only Bayrou knows the secret. We will regret neither him, a bourgeois politician, hypocritical and cynical, nor his government, full of racist reactionaries like Retailleau and Darmanin, nor his policy of attack on all workers.
The austerity budget prepared by the Bayrou government is a real declaration of war against the working class: two public holidays are abolished, pensioners and unemployment insurance are attacked, seven days of sick leave are introduced, long-term illnesses are no longer covered, public services are given a blank year, etc. It is a real drain to preserve the profits of businessmen and the fortunes of the ultra-rich, who are not asked to make any effort. Moreover, the rearmament campaign is being accelerated, with tens of billions spent on weapons in the service of French imperialism.
Even if Bayrou’s government has fallen, one thing is certain: the next government, whether led by a Macron loyalist, a right-wing figure or a socialist, will repeat the same austerity policy and the same attacks. It will not be long before they propose a “new” budget inspired by the same policy.
Since July, a call for a “total and unlimited general strike of the country” from September 10 to put an end to austerity has been circulating on social networks. It is anonymous, calls on the people and citizens, and states that “our only power is the boycott.” It has since been widely picked up by far-right and left-wing websites, as well as by several trade union federations.
The fact that the call for action on September 10 came from an anonymous and supposedly apolitical group is indicative of the weakness and lack of combativeness of the national union leaderships, which, after much hesitation, called for a day of action on September 18.
Despite the limitations, weaknesses and confusion of the appeal, we are in complete agreement with the leadership of the NPA-R. We must take advantage of this date and take up the struggle again, with our means, our demands and our methods!
From now on, we turn to the workers and young people in the enterprises, the neighborhoods and the places of study. Everywhere, we have to discuss our demands collectively and democratically in General Assemblies. Here we propose what seems to us essential:
Down with the austerity budget and all its cuts against workers, the unemployed, the sick and pensioners! For a general wage increase! Equal pay for all workers!
For a massive plan of hiring and investment in public services: health, education, universities, transportation, etc.
Let’s mobilize to stop all factory closures and layoffs! Let’s occupy all factories threatened with closure.
Not one cent, not one person for French imperialism! Let us put an end to militarization and generalized rearmament. We are told that all this is to defend the country. In reality, for centuries these weapons and armies have served no other purpose than to enslave other peoples, plunder their wealth and exploit them. Or to quell the revolts of the working class and the youth.
Open the borders, abolish all racist laws, demand an end to the Darmanin and Retailleau immigrant raids. The extreme right wing poisons us and tries to divide us with its vile lies. Immigrants and migrants are our class brothers and sisters: together we can win!
Repeal the Duplomb law! No to mega-pools, pesticides and other toxic substances that pollute the air we breathe and the water we drink.
Getting our way in these demands requires much more than a simple “boycott” or blocking a few traffic circles. Only a massive and unlimited general strike, as in 1936 or 1968, can lead to victory. To achieve this, it is essential to create a democratic organization to lead the struggle, with general assemblies, strike committees and elected representatives who are accountable and can be recalled, in every enterprise and in every neighborhood.
It is the working class that produces all the wealth in this country. It is the working class that has the strength to impose these demands and win. It is the working class that must lead this struggle and lead the country. In the current crisis of the Fifth Republic, the question of power arises. Neither a new government of cohabitation with Macron, nor a dissolution, nor the dismissal of Macron will be able to satisfy our demands within the framework of bourgeois democracy. We need a workers government, based on our strike committees, our delegates, our class organization.
