French PM Accuses 'Ultra-Left' of Seeking Unrest After Violent Weekend Protests
Photo: France 24French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Monday that the "ultra-left movement" is trying to orchestrate deep unrest across France ahead of next year's presidential election. His remarks followed violent protests that shook the country over the weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people reportedly blocked roads in several cities, and the demonstrations led to property damage and looting, in what is described as some of the worst street violence in France in decades. French outlets have linked the protests to rising energy costs and to students' anger over conditions at their schools. The excerpts give no further detail on what the government plans to do next.
Left-leaning outlets tracked by Crosswire had not reported this story at the time of writing, while alternative / independent and right-leaning outlets had. Right-leaning coverage, from The Blaze, leads with chaotic, viral scenes of the unrest and uses the "ultra-left" label in its headline, citing French outlets for the protesters' motives of energy costs and school conditions. Alternative coverage, from France 24, centers on the prime minister's accusation and the election context, with an international affairs editor reviewing his remarks after the weekend's violence. Both agree on the scale of the weekend unrest and the "ultra-left" framing; they differ in emphasis between street imagery and causes versus the government's political claim.
How the sides differ Left sources have not covered it; alternative sources stress the prime minister's remarks, while right sources stress viral scenes of violence and cite French outlets on causes.
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Not covering this story. None of the left-leaning outlets Crosswire tracks has reported it yet. What one side leaves out can be as telling as what the others report.
France 24 leads with Prime Minister Lecornu's accusation against the "ultra-left" and ties it to next year's election, with its international affairs editor reviewing his remarks after the weekend violence.
The Blaze leads with viral scenes of rioting and looting, calling it some of France's worst violence in decades, and cites French outlets attributing the protests to energy costs and school conditions.