French Prime Minister Orders Curfews as Nationwide Unrest Escalates
French PM Sebastien Lecornu mandates curfews following violent protests over living costs. President Macron rejects resignation offers amid police scrutiny.
POLICY WIRE — Paris, France — Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has directed regional prefectures to implement partial curfews across France following a weekend of intense civil unrest. The decision follows massive demonstrations where up to 800,000 people gathered to demand immediate government reforms regarding public services and the rising cost of living.
While the majority of weekend protesters remained peaceful, violent fringe groups engaged in looting, property destruction, and attacks on law enforcement. Lecornu attributed the chaos to criminal elements and the ultra-left, specifically citing ongoing issues in Marseille, which subsequently enacted a ban on public gatherings.
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence, describing the scenes of looting and vandalism as shocking. During a televised address, he expressed deep frustration, stating that nothing justifies such actions. Macron has ordered a formal review into potential intelligence and police preparedness failures that preceded the riots.
The government is facing mounting pressure as investigations open into severe injuries sustained during the protests, including a 17-year-old girl who lost an eye and a protester who lost a hand. Additionally, Paris authorities are investigating a death linked to a heart attack during the unrest, further intensifying scrutiny of police crowd-control tactics.
Financial markets reacted sharply to the instability, with the French CAC 40 index falling 1.02% on Monday. The broader STOXX 600 index also saw a decline of 0.39%, reflecting investor anxiety as the nation grapples with weak economic growth and significant debt.
Political tensions remain high as opposition leaders trade blame. Marine Le Pen criticized the government as disoriented and powerless, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the Prime Minister of escalating the situation. Meanwhile, President Macron has declined Interior Minister Laurent Nunez’s offer to resign, tasking him with maintaining security and developing new strategies to address the looting.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
