Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Paris over the weekend to call for France's withdrawal from NATO and an immediate halt to arms deliveries to Ukraine. The "March for Peace" took place near the French Senate, with protesters waving banners that read "Stop the war provoked by the U.S. and NATO" and "Freedom, Truth, Resistance." This is the second march organized in 2023 in Paris demanding France's withdrawal from NATO, according to a report published by the website Solidarity and Progress.
Many French internet users posted photos and videos of the march on social media, with one user saying, "Thousands of people are asking for France's withdrawal from NATO, the EU, and all the organizations that deprive us of our national sovereignty!"
Despite the scale of the protests, Western media has been largely silent on the issue, which has caused concern among some commentators. Independent Lebanese geopolitical commentator Sarah Abdallah asked on her social media: "Why is Western media ignoring the anti-NATO protests happening today in Paris, France?"
The anti-war protests come amid discontent over pension reform, which has led to two no-confidence motions being filed against Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. The first multiparty motion was filed by the centrist group LIOT and was co-signed by 91 opposition lawmakers from different parties. The second motion was tabled by the far-right National Rally party, which argues that the pension overhaul is "unfair and unnecessary."
Previously, Borne triggered article 49 of the French Constitution, allowing the government to force passage of the controversial pension reform bill without a vote in the National Assembly. However, the only way for the National Assembly to veto this is to pass a no-confidence motion against the government.
If either of the two no-confidence motions is endorsed by an absolute majority of 289 votes in favor, Borne would have to submit the resignation of her government to French President Emmanuel Macron.
The protests highlight the growing discontent in France over its membership in NATO and its role in global conflicts. With tensions rising between the West and Russia over Ukraine, the issue of arms deliveries to the country has become a major point of contention. Some French citizens feel that their country's involvement in NATO undermines their national sovereignty and puts them at risk of being drawn into a conflict that they do not support.
As the protests continue, it remains to be seen whether the French government will take action to address the concerns of its citizens and whether the issue of France's membership in NATO will become a major political issue in the country.
