More than 100,000 left-wing demonstrators rallied across France to protest against the nomination of the Centre-right MICHEL BARNIER as prime minister. Rallies took place in major cities across France.

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.

BARNIER had said that he was open to naming ministers of all political stripes, including “people from the left”.

But a left-wing coalition, which emerged as France’s largest political bloc after the june-july elections, has denounced macron’s appointment of BARNIER.