Macron's PM choice draws protests

President bypassed far-left bloc to pick conservative Barnier

-  THOMAS ADAMSON

Protesters rally against the appointment of Prime Minister Michel Barnier in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Saturday. Similar demonstrations took place in about 150 locations nationwide.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday, responding to a call from a far-left party leader who criticized as a “power grab” the president’s appointment of a conservative new prime minister, Michel Barnier.

The protests directly challenged President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to bypass a prime minister from the far-left bloc following a deeply dividing — and divided — legislative election result in July. Authorities did not record a huge turnout nationwide.