Paris, July 14, 2025 – « LES #GUEUX » – France’s ‘Forgotten Ones’ Rise Against Soaring Electricity Bills
A new movement, LES#GUEUX – an old French term meaning “the destitute, the neglected, the voiceless” – has been launched in France to denounce what it calls a massive electricity cost explosion driven by the government’s latest energy plan.
Backed by the Fédération Environnement Durable (FED) and prominent experts such as André Merlin (founder of RTE), Henri Proglio (former EDF CEO), and Louis Gallois (ex-Airbus and SNCF CEO),and Xavier Moreno (CEREME CEO) the movement warns that the government’s Programmation Pluriannuelle de l’Énergie (PPE3) could double household electricity bills, from €1,500 to €3,000 per year.
The plan includes 20,000 new wind turbines, more than 30 offshore parks, and a fivefold expansion of solar power, costing taxpayers €300 billion.
“This is economic sabotage,” say supporters of the movement.
Small businesses are already suffering: a typical bakery now pays €12,000 per year, up 100% in three years. Transporters, farmers, fishermen, and shop owners are facing the same fate.
The movement LES #GUEUX was initiated by Alexandre Jardin, who previously led the successful campaign against Low Emission Zones (ZFE), forcing the government to backtrack.
Today, LES #GUEUX stands as the voice of a forgotten France — the 40% of citizens who refuse to keep paying the price for opaque and misguided energy decisions.
LES #GUEUX accuses the government of trying to pass this plan secretly in mid-summer, bypassing Parliament and public debate. The group demands:
> An immediate halt to all decrees passed without consultation.
> A national public debate.
>The creation of an independent citizens’ commission to design a rational and fair energy strategy.
And above all, Jean-Louis Butré (President of the FED), echoing the call already made by more than 60 Members of Parliament and even Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, is demanding « an immediate moratorium on wind and solar subsidies, which they describe as economically devastating, climatically ineffective, and socially divisive. »
As public anger rises, the movement warns that the government is taking a major political risk.
“Enough is enough. LES #GUEUX will not pay the price for energy policies that serve private lobbies instead of the public good.”
Press contact:
Jean-Louis Butré
+33680993808
contact@environnementdurable.netLES#GUEUX
https://lesgueux.fr/petition-stop-ppe/
FEDERATION ENVIRONNEMENT DURABLE
https://environnementdurable.org/
