French Prime Minister Demands Partial Curfews Following Violent Weekend Riots
French PM Sébastien Lecornu urges local prefects to implement localized curfews to stop nationwide riots, looting, and civil unrest.
POLICY WIRE — Paris, France — French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Monday that he directed prefects to enforce very limited and localized curfews across various cities. The measures aim to halt further rioting and looting following a weekend of widespread violence that targeted public buildings, city halls, and hundreds of commercial establishments nationwide.
The directive follows an emergency cabinet meeting held to address the escalation of protests that deteriorated into severe civil unrest in Paris and other urban centers. Lecornu specifically blamed violent ultra-left rioters for the chaos that prompted the government response.
Amid the mounting crisis, President Emmanuel Macron rejected an offer of resignation from Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, despite acknowledging notable failures in intelligence and anticipation regarding the unrest. The French president vowed to deliver an uncompromising response as the nation faces a critical upcoming budget vote.
Authorities report that more than 2,400 individuals have been arrested following violent clashes between demonstrators and police forces. What initially began as student demonstrations rapidly expanded into broader public unrest driven by escalating living costs across France.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
