France braced for further unrest as President Emmanuel Macron pledged “concrete and strong” measures to address student protests and rising living costs.
Authorities expect renewed violence on Saturday, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warning of a “high-risk day” and vowing an “extremely robust” police deployment. Nuñez said curfews would remain in several areas to prevent looting and vandalism, after 1,435 arrests and 267 injured officers during weekend demonstrations .
Macron, speaking in Marseille, acknowledged the government had failed to anticipate the scale of violence on 17 October, when protesters stormed City Hall and looted shops. He insisted public order was being maintained without a state of emergency but did not rule it out if conditions worsened .
The protests began in September over school conditions and the cost of living, expanding into nationwide unrest. Students demand more teachers, smaller classes, and reforms to the Parcoursup university admissions platform, which they say entrenches inequality .
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met student unions on Monday to discuss their demands, with Macron promising the government would respond to “legitimate grievances” underlying the movement. The government has already deployed 3,000 substitute teachers to struggling schools .
Businesses reported severe losses, with retail sales down 80 percent in some areas as shops closed to avoid damage. Alain Di Crescenzo, president of the French Chamber of Commerce, said local trade was being “killed” by the unrest .
Macron also blamed social media for amplifying violence, saying platforms had been used to mobilize people to looting sites and foster a “fascination with violence” .
