French transport unions warn of strikes if National Rally wins
3 Min Read
With the RN set to participate in the two-round snap elections for the French parliament's lower house scheduled on June 30 and July 7, tensions have escalated.
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People wait for a train at the Concorde metro station in Paris, France, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
France's transport trade unions have issued a stern warning on Friday, threatening to spark a strike should the right-wing National Rally (RN) party secure victory in the upcoming snap elections, Europe 1 radio reports.
The RN, led by Marine Le Pen, gained significant ground in the European Parliament elections in France, surpassing President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition by more than 15 percentage points.
Now, with the RN set to participate in the two-round snap elections for the French parliament's lower house scheduled on June 30 and July 7, tensions have escalated.
Solidaires, a prominent trade union, has mobilized workers of the RATP Group (formerly Parisian Autonomous Transport Administration) to prepare for strike action if Le Pen's party secures an absolute majority in parliament.
Solidaires has labeled Le Pen as an "enemy to workers" who they believe fuels divisions within the country.
📢 L'extrême-droite est un danger pour les personnes racisées ! pic.twitter.com/egxEJES2j6
— Union syndicale Solidaires ⏚ (@UnionSolidaires) June 28, 2024
Prior to this, both Solidaires and the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) had called for a united front against right-wing politics and advocated for immediate measures promoting social justice.
These efforts culminate in a planned manifestation against the RN scheduled for July 15.
But not all transport trade unions have taken a confrontational stance. The FO-RATP RDS, the largest union in the transport sector by membership, along with the UNSA Groupe RATP trade union, have opted for neutrality, urging their members to participate in the electoral process and exercise their voting rights.
Read more: France's National Rally to bar dual nationals of state jobs
A recent Ipsos survey for the daily Le Parisien and Radio France revealed that the RN will receive 31.5% of the vote in the first round of elections. The People's Front, comprised of left-wing and ecological parties, will receive 29.5% of the vote.
The poll predicts that the Macron alliance will receive 19.5% of the vote, placing them in third place.
According to a poll conducted by the Odoxa Institute, the People's Front is expected to receive 28%, the ruling party 19%, and the RN 33%.
Is Europe's liberal order at stake?
An analysis written by John Lichfield for Politico on Tuesday detailed that the upcoming parliamentary election in France poses a significant existential threat to the European Union and the liberal world order.
According to Lichfield, the election could potentially lead to the victory of the right-wing National Rally (RN), which has historical ties to collaborationist regimes and alleged links to Russia.
Critics warn that an RN-led government would undermine European unity, advocate for policies discriminating against immigrants, and potentially weaken Western alliances.
The party's stance on NATO's military integration and its alleged sympathetic ties to Moscow raise alarms about increased Russian influence in European affairs.
Amid economic concerns, French voters are set to make a decisive choice that could reverberate globally.
