Brandishing in particular in the Parisian parade hundreds of signs "We talk about it when?", the demonstrators intended to denounce the absence of climate issues in the campaign, in particular in the media, where these subjects did not occupy, according to a "barometer" put in place by NGOs, only "1.5% of speaking time" over the last week studied (February 28 to March 6).

Unions and parties had also called for participation, such as France insoumise, EELV or the PS, whose respective candidates Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Yannick Jadot and Anne Hidalgo came to the Paris demonstration.

All three, as well as Fabien Roussel (PCF) and Philippe Poutou (NPA) must participate separately on Sunday in a program on the Twitch channel of political streamer Jean Massiet, without the other candidates, who had been invited.

A total of 135 marches took place across the country, bringing together 80,000 people according to the organizers, including 32,000 for the Paris parade, 8,000 in Lyon or 1,800 in Nantes.

"The hour is more than serious, I am 34 years old and I have seen nature take a shovel in the face. There is no longer any respect for the planet, we must protect this earth that we will leave to our children. The policies are not up to the challenges", says Lydie Lampin Bernand, 34, who holds the head banner "Together for the climate" in the Lille demonstration, which gathered some 800 people according to the prefecture .

"Look up" march for the climate, March 12, 2022 in Paris Alain JOCARD AFP

A recurring criticism among the demonstrators, as in the "unitary call" of the organizers, who denounces the fact that "in France in 2022, the greatest threat that humanity has ever known is passed over in silence in the middle of an election period, as our future hangs in the balance."

"Fight Right"

"Everyone is concerned, it's a fair, global and essential fight", insists Livie Châtelais, at the Rennes demonstration, which gathered around 700 people according to the police, more than a thousand according to the organizers. .

For this 42-year-old pediatrician, "global warming will also generate a lot of refugees and a lot of wars".

Both organizers and demonstrators recognize that Russia's invasion of Ukraine obviously monopolized attention, but point out that the climate issue was even before this dramatic news largely absent from electoral debates.

And to underline the importance of energy issues in geopolitics, via the slogan “Peace, climate, same fight!”, displaying their solidarity with Ukraine.

Environmental presidential candidate Yannick Jadot takes part in the "Look up" march for the climate on March 12, 2022 in Paris Alain JOCARD AFP

"Vladimir Putin's criminal regime is also financed by this dependence on fossil fuels. Getting out of fossil fuels is necessary for the climate and for a more stable world", explains Lorette Philippot, Friends of the Earth France.

The organizers are already calling for a new series of climate marches on April 9, on the eve of the first round of the presidential election.

In the meantime, another mobilization is to take place on March 25, as part of the "global youth strikes" initiated by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

For its part, an "ecological collective" called "La Braise", claimed responsibility for an action filmed on video, tagging in particular "Assassin" at the entrance to the Parisian offices of the Russian gas giant Gazprom.

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© 2022 AFP