French Presidential Candidate Environment Program Protested By Climate Change Activists, Paris Square Blockade

A member of the Extinction Rebellion group raises a flag as climate activists take part in a demonstration at Oxford Circus in London, England, Saturday (9/4/2022). (ANTARA/REUTERS/Henry Nicholls)

JAKARTA - Climate change activists forced the closure of a major square in central Paris on Saturday to protest an environmental program proposed by French presidential candidates.

The Extinction Rebellion (XR) has said on its website that it plans to block a key Paris location to disrupt the election cycle and act "as usual".

Although the cost of living was the main theme of the election, energy policy is closely related to that main theme.

Incumbent Emmanuel Macron and his extreme right-wing challenger, Marine Le Pen, have proposed very different policies on the renewable sector in particular.

"We blocked this Paris square in revolt against an alternative we didn't have. This election left us with no choice between an extreme right-wing candidate with disgusting ideas ... and a candidate who for five years put aside ecological issues and lied," Lou told Reuters.

Lou, 26, is a history teacher, who joined the Extinction Rebellion movement two years ago.

Hundreds of people gathered in Paris' 9th district brandishing banners targeting the candidates, chanting slogans such as "their inaction leads to our uprising", or lying on the floor in protest.

Just eight days before a second round that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, opinion polls show the centrist president is slightly ahead of his extreme right-wing rivals.

However, the competition between the two French presidential candidates seems to be tight.