The French “freedom convoy” set off this Wednesday morning, the coffers loaded with food and demands. These long lines of vehicles left the south of France, inspired by the success of the “Freedom Convoy” in Canada, hoping to influence the government and more broadly Europe on the measures applied to fight against Covid-19. The participants mentioned in particular the introduction of the vaccination pass, experienced as an obstacle to free movement.
A meeting of the “conveyors” has been given in Paris, by the end of the week. A date and a place of final rallying to the convoy, which its initiators hope to be European, have been fixed: February 14, in Brussels. But the public authorities are already on the alert: the prefecture of Paris prohibited this Thursday the end of this mobilization on its territory, a similar decision was taken in Brussels in stride.
Involvement of vehicles, organization on social networks… The initiative is clearly reminiscent of the movement of yellow vests. Especially since in Canada, the “Freedom Convoy” was formed on the embers of the “United We Roll” movement, itself resulting, at the time… from the famous “Yellow Vests” (translation of yellow vests) local. Notable exception: the North American convoy relies on the presence of heavy trucks, which occupy the streets of the capital Ottawa and which do not hesitate to sound their heavy horns under the windows of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
For L’Express, sociologist Michel Wieviorka, author of “Metamorphosis or decline. Where is France going?” (Rue de Seine, 2021), gives his view on this convoy. According to him, this one has for the moment very little in common with that of the yellow vests.
The Express. The first vehicles of the French “convoy” left this morning, heading for Paris then Brussels. The mobilization is taking place on Facebook, a growing group currently gathering around 350,000 supporters.Escapes like a perfume of yellow vests. What do you think ?
Michael Wieviorka. There are indeed elements in this convoy which recall the movement of yellow vests and which therefore mobilize people who participate in it. But this is not a direct extension. Firstly because it is an initiative with a European dimension, with the objective of Brussels, in Belgium. We go a little beyond the simple framework of our nation state. The second point is that this convoy is not burdened in its heart with social themes, such as the price of life. Here, the action is essentially directed against a health measure, the vaccination pass, to which many yellow vests are not all opposed. If this device were to disappear within a few weeks, the movement would still lose much of its strength.
The convoy is exported elsewhere in the world, such as New Zealand, Germany or Australia. Does he have the means to succeed in France?
The movement of truckers makes a number of people dream by its impact. But the French situation is not comparable. First, there is a vaccination obligation specific to these people in Canada, necessary in order to cross the border with the United States. It’s the starting point. French drivers are not subject to it, and they even have access to restaurants without presenting the pass. Finally, they do not have the same statutes. French truckers are generally owned by companies. In Canada, as in the United States, many own their trucks, they are small bosses. It’s another world.
The French convoy in itself is therefore not so much a convoy of trucks, but rather of cars. I am ultimately surprised that more comparisons are not made between the Canadian convoy and the red cap movementin Brittany, which for the blow, burst because of the installation of a tax which aimed directly the trucks.
Are the opponents likely to have an impact similar to that of the yellow vests, especially a few weeks before the presidential election?
This “convoy”, like the Covid-19, can have variants, become a more social movement, it is already very anti-Macron… In short, take up the themes that originally animated the yellow vests, and thus gaining momentum. It is in truth still too early to know what will happen, and it is premature to classify it on the extreme right, as on the extreme left. But the European objective of this movement should, in my opinion, weaken its scope.
Its mode of action also penalizes it, compared to the yellow vests: it is always easier to mobilize close to home, rather than to rally Paris or even Brussels from Nice or elsewhere. The commitment is in this convoy much heavier to carry. It must be remembered, the success of the yellow vests comes from its ability to structure itself without a spokesperson, without a real leader, without a backbone, thanks to its local roots. The “convoy” thus ensures more difficult social ties, solidarity and human warmth than before, on the roundabouts. But indeed, if this one has a chance to make an impression, it is well before the presidential election, which is always held in a particular context. Some politicians, like Florian Philippot, could be tempted to exploit this mobilization, and put it in the forefront of the news.
Without imitating him, can he therefore definitively take over from the yellow vests. A number had already drifted towards the denunciation of health measures…
Let’s say it: the movement of yellow vests is not over. No one has moved on. It remains very present in minds, dreams, desires. But he stopped speaking for various reasons. The convoy could therefore be an opportunity for some yellow vests to revive. But as I mentioned earlier, for me it’s not the same social base, the heart of the demands has changed. All the yellow vests are far from carrying the anti-pass, antivax messages. So it seems complicated to me.