May Day Protesters Take Aim at Austerity

Demonstrators turned out in large numbers for May Day rallies in hard-hit European countries on Tuesday, protesting their governments' push for austerity and flexing populist muscle ahead of key Greek and French elections, The Wall Street Journal reported. Protesters used this year's labor-day celebration, which came amid new signs of economic contraction across much of Europe, as a platform against a German-led view that spending cuts and tax increases are the best medicine for the region's sovereign-debt woes. The rallies come on the eve of national elections scheduled for Sunday in France and Greece, both of which are expected to pose stiff challenges to leaders who have carried out Europe's austerity prescription. Marchers in Paris held up signs reading "Down With Merkozy," referring to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who steered the currency area through the sovereign-debt crisis. Mr. Sarkozy's Socialist rival, François Hollande, has the lead heading into the runoff election. In Athens, demonstrators chanted their opposition to Greece's two main ruling parties. Rising parties on the extreme right and left are expected to cut into the mainstream politicians' support and complicate their efforts to carry out deep cuts to qualify for bailouts from Europe and the International Monetary Fund. "We don't want austerity, we want work for all," chanted demonstrators at a rally organized by the country's two major umbrella unions. "Send [the ruling parties] where they belong, to a black page of history." Read more. (Subscription required.)