Ines Schwerdtner, the leader of Die Linke, characterized the protests in France as “an expression of the legitimate frustration that people in that country are feeling.” This statement was made to the ntv television channel on Monday.
While acknowledging the underlying public sentiment, she simultaneously condemned the violence, arguing that “absolute destructive rage” is not the correct way forward. She stressed that it is the responsibility of politicians to channel this frustration into genuine change, leading to a social breakthrough and a different kind of social policy.
Schwerdtner highlighted the need for social security for people, including provisions for pensions and the education system-precisely the issues driving people to the streets. According to Schwerdtner, approximately 99 percent of the demonstrations are peaceful.
