'Austerity kills': Thousands rally against French President Hollande in Paris (VIDEO)

15 Nov, 2014 21:15

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Thousands of people took to the streets of Paris on Saturday to protest against austerity and condemn French President Francois Hollande for betraying his voters.

The demonstration gathered around 5,000 people, RT’s Ilya Petrenko reported from the French capital.

A variety of left-wing political forces occupied an entire street in downtown Paris for the rally.

15/11/2014 France - Protest in Paris against austerity. #15nov #manifencours pic.twitter.com/rWYH52BqhB
— Global March (@global_march) November 15, 2014

The majority of those who came voted for socialist Francois Hollande two years ago and now say they were betrayed by the president they put in power.

Anti-#austerity march reaches the Seine. pic.twitter.com/LjJLIz1nF1
— Ilya Petrenko (@ilpetrenko_rt) November 15, 2014

They gathered to say ‘no’ to austerity and budget cuts, as well as Hollande's policies which have been dictated by EU authorities in Brussels.

The protesters carried banners and signs saying “Austerity kills” and “They betrayed Jean Jaures (the leader of French socialists in the early 1900s).”

“These austerity policies consist of massive cuts in social spending and huge tax breaks for big corporations. That’s precisely what Hollande promised not to do,” a demonstrator told RT.

During Hollande's presidency, the country's tax burden has increased by 40 billion euros, unemployment has risen to 3.3 million, and government spending has reached 57 percent of GDP.

Photographers take pictures of a man wearing a "Guy Fawkes" mask and holding placards that read, "Hollande and Valls, you are social breakers" (L) and "Emergency eco sociale", during a demonstration against the government's austerity reforms, in Paris November 15, 2014 (Reuters / Gonzalo Fuentes)

A recent survey by YouGov revealed that the president’s approval rating has fallen to a record low of 12 percent.

France has seen a wave of rallies in recent weeks, with people also protesting against police brutality and sanctions against Russia that left the products of local farmers rotting.

People attend a demonstration against the government's austerity reforms, in Paris November 15, 2014 (Reuters / Gonzalo Fuentes)

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