French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will convene an emergency cabinet meeting on the 19th of October to assess the protests and looting that took place over the weekend—events that have escalated into the most significant disruption of public order in France’s modern history, reports BBC.On the 17th of October, more than half a million largely peaceful protesters gathered to voice their concerns regarding the rising cost of living and the lack of access to public services, including quality, state-funded education. The situation spiraled out of control following the arrival of masked, black-clad activists and vandals. Approximately 1,500 shops and businesses were looted or destroyed. Police deployed tear gas and water cannons against the rioters, and in several locations, protesters were repelled using batons. The French Ministry of the Interior has reported that approximately 1,000 police officers were injured, seven of them seriously. There has been speculation that French President Emmanuel Macron might impose a curfew in certain parts of the country or declare a state of emergency to calm the volatile atmosphere. However, on the 18th of October, Macron merely called for unity and sought to reassure the French public that those responsible for the violence would be punished.Macron’s speech subsequently drew harsh criticism, both on social media and from his political opponents. Questions were raised regarding how the vandals would be held accountable, how French cities and towns would be protected, what compensation the owners of destroyed businesses would receive, and when a dialogue with students and teachers would be established.Sophie Binet, General Secretary of the CGT trade union, stated on the 18th of October that Macron had failed to address any of the pressing issues in his speech, choosing instead to pass the responsibility to Lecornu. Meanwhile, many in France blame both Macron and his Minister of the Interior for being poorly prepared for several protests that had been planned and announced in advance. Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly (the lower house of the French Parliament), has called for an investigation to determine exactly what happened and why. In Paris, many view Macron as an unsuccessful president. His term in office is drawing to a close. Elections are set to take place in six months, and candidates from the fringes of the political spectrum—such as the anti-immigration, far-right Marine Le Pen and the anti-capitalist, left-wing Jean-Luc Mélenchon—are vying for the position, further intensifying the tension in France.Parliamentary work is largely paralyzed, and a deep rift exists between the three dominant political blocs. France’s financial woes only exacerbate the situation. Investors are pressuring the state to bring its mounting external debt under control; meanwhile, the government fears that cutting funding for public services or healthcare could drive even larger crowds of dissatisfied citizens into the streets.The events of October 18th shocked people across France.Macron and Lecornu attributed the unrest to far-left groups, while Mélenchon accused the government of incompetence. Le Pen—who positions herself as a proponent of law and order—delivered a speech in front of the French flag, blaming the Macron administration for losing its grip and describing it as exhausted and disoriented.
Prolonged protests increase pressure on French government
