Iran Press/Europe: Following snap parliamentary elections that caused political unrest in France, thousands of left-wing protesters gathered in central Paris on Saturday to express their opposition to President Emmanuel Macron's appointment of conservative Michel Barnier as prime minister, labeling it a "power grab" and an "election theft".
Macron’s selection of the 73-year-old conservative and former European Union Brexit negotiator on Thursday capped a two-month-long search following his ill-fated decision to call a legislative election that delivered a hung parliament divided into three blocs.
The interior ministry said 110,000 people took to the streets nationwide, including 26,000 in Paris, while one leading left-winger put the turnout across France at 300,000.
The left, led by the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, has accused Macron of stealing the election after Macron refused to pick the candidate of the New Popular Front (NFP) alliance that came top in the July vote.
