Government faces mounting pressure over cost-of-living crisis.
France has introduced partial night curfews in Paris and several northern cities after a weekend of violent demonstrations over rising living costs spiralled out of control. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office confirmed the restrictions would run from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am, as authorities worked to restore order after some of the worst unrest in recent years. Lecornu has not ruled out declaring a state of emergency if violence continues.
The protests, initially organized by students demanding better conditions, quickly descended into chaos. Masked groups clashed with police, stormed municipal buildings, looted shops, and set vehicles ablaze. In Paris, demonstrators blocked the Louvre entrance, forcing the world‑famous museum to close. Nationwide, more than 2,500 arrests were made, while nearly 1,000 members of the security forces were injured. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that over 3,000 businesses were affected, with damages running into hundreds of millions of euros.
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the “unbridled violence” in a televised address, acknowledging shortcomings in the government’s response despite deploying 60,000 officers. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez offered his resignation, which Macron refused. The government has accused radical left‑wing groups of exploiting the unrest to strengthen far‑left candidate Jean‑Luc Mélenchon ahead of next year’s presidential elections. At the same time, far‑right leader Marine Le Pen continues to gain ground in opinion polls.
The crisis reflects a wider European trend of discontent. Clashes erupted in Milan, Belgian police used tear gas and water cannons in Brussels and Liège, and protesters in Spain and Portugal set up encampments to denounce soaring housing costs. International reactions have been swift: Germany updated its travel advisory for France, China urged citizens to take precautions, and the European Union condemned the violence while stressing the importance of protecting peaceful protest.
Fuel and food prices remain at the heart of public anger. Diesel costs have surged nearly 40 percent since March, petrol by 25 percent, and food prices have risen 25 percent over five years. With organizers calling for new demonstrations next weekend, France faces a delicate balancing act: containing unrest while safeguarding democratic freedoms. As the presidential election approaches, the government’s ability to manage this crisis will be closely scrutinized both at home and abroad.
