#Mai68 (pronounced “may swah-SAHNT-wheet”) refers to May 1968 student and worker protests in France that nearly toppled de Gaulle’s government. While the events occurred in 1968, the hashtag trends annually on May anniversaries and whenever French protests evoke comparisons to that revolutionary moment. May ‘68 remains touchstone for French left and symbol of student activism globally.
The 1968 Revolution
Though hashtag emerged decades later, #Mai68 references the historic uprising: Paris students occupied Sorbonne University in May 1968 protesting educational reforms, police repression, and capitalism. Protests spread nationwide—10 million workers joined general strike, factories were occupied, and France teetered on revolution.
The movement’s slogans became legendary: “Sous les pavés, la plage” (Under the paving stones, the beach), “Il est interdit d’interdire” (It is forbidden to forbid), “L’imagination au pouvoir” (Power to the imagination). These phrases circulate annually with #Mai68, celebrating revolutionary spirit and countercultural idealism.
Annual Commemoration
Every May, especially milestone anniversaries (40th in 2008, 50th in 2018, 55th in 2023), #Mai68 trends as France debates the movement’s legacy. Left-wing politicians invoke ‘68 as inspiration, while conservatives blame it for moral decline and weakened authority.
The 2018 50th anniversary (#Mai68_50ans) sparked major retrospectives—Emmanuel Macron declared May ‘68 spirit “profoundly transformed” France, while protesters argued neoliberalism betrayed ‘68 ideals. The hashtag became battleground for competing narratives about France’s political evolution.
Contemporary Protest Comparisons
When French protests erupt—2006 CPE protests, 2016 Nuit Debout, 2018-2019 Gilets Jaunes—media and participants invoke #Mai68 comparisons. Are these movements May ‘68 successors, or pale imitations? The hashtag frames how French society understands contemporary dissent through ‘68 lens.
University occupations, general strikes, and anti-government demonstrations all trigger #Mai68 references. However, some argue obsession with ‘68 prevents France from developing new revolutionary language—every protest measured against mythologized past rather than present conditions.
Cultural Legacy
Beyond politics, #Mai68 celebrates ‘68’s cultural revolution—sexual liberation, feminist awakening, anti-authoritarianism, artistic experimentation. French cinema, literature, philosophy, and art were transformed. The hashtag documents this broader cultural legacy beyond street battles.
#Mai68 represents what could have been—a moment when revolution seemed possible, when imagination briefly held power, when students and workers united against system. Whether inspiration or nostalgia, the hashtag keeps ‘68 alive in French political imagination.
Sources: Le Monde Mai 68 archives, Sciences Po historical analysis, France Culture commemoration