Even if it results from an optical effect, the event is as rare as it is spectacular. No less than five planets of our Solar System as well as the Moon will align for two days. Good news, of course, for all astronomy enthusiasts. A little less, on the other hand, for astrology enthusiasts. And especially in France. For what ? Because it is difficult to see, in reality, how this alignment of the planets, however exceptional, could be favorable in one way or another to the government as well as to the social climate. Witness this weekend of extreme violence during the demonstrations in Deux-Sèvres around the water reserve under construction in Sainte-Soline. The results are edifying: a demonstrator between life and death, two others seriously injured as well as two gendarmes “in relative emergency”. In total some 4,000 grenades were fired by the police to respond to molotov cocktails. In short, a scene which this morning still looks like a real battlefield.
And these events obviously raise questions about the strategy deployed both by the most radical demonstrators and by the police.
We understand that each of the two camps now accuses the other of having fired first. The fact remains that last October a similar demonstration, also prohibited, had also already given rise to clashes of extreme violence.
Finally, it is an opportunity to recall that a total of sixteen mega basin projects are currently being implemented by some 400 farmers united in a cooperative, with the support of the State. And when their supporters make it a condition for the survival of farms in the face of the threat of recurring droughts, their opponents denounce the monopolization of water by agro-industry in the era of climate change.
Other news headlines
Two left-wing candidates will meet in the second round of a partial legislature in the 1st constituency of Ariège: Bénédicte Taurine (outgoing LFI MP, officially supported by the Nupes left alliance) came in first yesterday ahead of Martine Froger (candidate socialist dissident but supported by local party cadres). The candidate of the Rassemblement National and finally that of the presidential camp follow. And beyond the game of the left, this election is instructive in more ways than one both locally and nationally.
Who to succeed Philippe Martinez? For the first time a woman should take the head of the plant next week.
Guest editor: Jean-Michel Denis, labor sociologist and trade union specialist, associate researcher at the Laboratoire Techniques, Territoires et Sociétés.
After three months of almost weekly protests against his highly contested reform, will he finally give in? In the aftermath of yet another demonstration bringing together tens of thousands of people last night, Benyamin Netanyahu was supposed to speak this morning to announce the suspension of his justice bill, denounced by his critics as an obstacle to democracy. The president of the Hebrew state had himself called a few hours earlier on the head of government to stop this legislative process in the name of the unity of the people. Except that the declaration of the Israeli Prime Minister was finally postponed. At the risk, therefore, of further dividing a country in turmoil. As evidenced, moreover, this morning by the call of the head of the trade union center for an immediate “general strike”.
France 24 banned in Burkina Faso. This morning, the ruling junta ordered the “sine die” suspension of the broadcasting of the French news channel on its territory. Reason given: on March 6, France 24 relayed an interview with the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
